Soma Austin

The season of Advent is upon us once again and with it the joy and anticipation of Christmas. But what exactly is Advent and why do we celebrate it at Soma Austin?

What is Advent?
Advent is a Latin word for "coming" or "arrival" and is the season in which the Church remembers and celebrates Jesus's coming to earth. It's a tradition that has been kept since the 4th Century and continues even today. It's a time to reflect on Jesus, our Messiah's birth and anticipate his coming again. We do so by reading passages of Scripture from the Old Testament that declare his coming and from the New Testament that tell of his birth. It's also a time to anticipate Christ's return.

Advent traditionally starts the 4th Sunday before Christmas and goes until Christmas day. There are many ways to observe Advent like the Advent calendar and Advent wreath. The wreath represents Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, coming and bringing light and hope into our lives. Each Sunday a candle is lit representing Hope, Preparation, Joy, & Love. As more candles are lit, more light is shown until the 5th candle, the Christ candle, it lit on Christmas morning.

Advent At Soma Austin
At Soma Austin we observe Advent with thousands of churches around the world. We do so through Scripture readings, singing Christmas/Advent songs, lighting the Advent wreath, and teaching the story of Jesus's coming. This year we are focusing on the idea of God with us. The name given to Jesus in Isaiah 7:14, Immanuel, literally means "God with us." God came to this earth in Christ to walk among us and even die for our sins. Jesus steps into our broken lives and dying world to save us and renew us. And he leaves us with his Holy Spirit to help us, be with us, until he returns. This is a thing celebrate!

Advent Guide
The Village Church has put together a wonderful guide explaining Advent and providing family devotionals to walk through during these next 4 weeks. You can download the PDF here.

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