Advent is the season of about four weeks before Christmas when Christians remember the world's long wait for a Saviour and prepare their hearts for the coming of Jesus. Many churches mark each Sunday by lighting an Advent candle.

How can I find an Advent or Christmas service near me?

You can find a real, welcoming church near you using the free church finder at living-bread.org/find-a-church. Service times vary by church and year, so check the church's own page or call ahead.

The season of waiting

Advent: the season of hope before Christmas

Advent is the church's season of waiting, the four weeks or so before Christmas when we remember the long longing for a Saviour and get our hearts ready for the coming of Jesus.

Advent is the season of hope and waiting in the weeks before Christmas, when Christians remember the long longing for a Saviour and prepare their hearts for the coming of Jesus. It looks back to His birth in Bethlehem and forward to His return, keeping watch in hope.

What Advent means

The word Advent means coming, or arrival. For centuries Christians have used these weeks to slow down and remember how long the world waited for God to keep His promise, and to make room in busy lives for the One who came. Many churches light a candle each Sunday, one more flame every week, as the waiting draws to its end.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6 · King James Version

“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
Isaiah 40:3 · King James Version

A quiet reading, and a prayer

If the season feels rushed or heavy this year, you are not alone. Advent is an invitation to breathe, to be honest about what you are longing for, and to let hope be spoken over you again. You do not have to have it all together to keep it.

God of hope, in the noise and hurry of these weeks, prepare a way in me. I am waiting for something I can hardly name. Come to me as You came to Bethlehem, quietly, faithfully, and near. Amen.

Find an Advent or Christmas service near you

When you are ready to be there in person, you can find an Advent or Christmas service near you. We do not list service times here, because they change every year and from one place to the next. Instead we point you to real churches close to where you are, so you can go and see for yourself.

Find a church near you

Every church shown is a real place you can visit. Check the church’s own page, or call ahead, for this year’s service times.

Keep exploring: Advent in the church year · the Christian calendar · find a church · the gospel · ask for prayer