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New and Recent Formation Resources for Advent

Advent is an exciting season in the church year. As many of the resources below underscore, Advent ushers in a new liturgical year and offers stories, hymns, and practices that can inspire Christians’ faith in countless ways as we attend to how God is moving in our lives and in our world to “mak[e] all things new” (Rev. 21:5, NRSVUE).

If your community is looking for ideas and resources to deepen members’ faith formation during Advent, this list of new and recent formation resources can help you get started. The list that we’ve curated and organized in reverse chronological order includes resources that can be used with children, youth, adults, families, and intergenerational groups. It offers activity kits, books, curricula, and devotionals, and some of these resources also feature an array of accompanying materials like videos, worship bulletins, sermon planning suggestions, Advent calendars, and even a Christmas pageant guide.

Most of the resources require purchases. Some offer discounts for buying in bulk, and others provide sliding scale prices depending on church size. If you are interested in more free Advent resources, you may want to check out “Building Faith’s Favorite Free Christian Formation Resources.”

If you know of a helpful new or recent resource that isn’t included in this list, leave a comment and tell us about it!

Activity Guides & Kits

1. Advent Theater House (2024)

This activity box enables children and families to tell and dramatize stories for Advent with a buildable theater. The box includes figures for Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus as well as animal characters, and it provides four plays to enact.

  • Age group(s): children, families
  • Publisher and date: StoryMakers NYC, 2024 (not affiliated with a specific denomination)
  • Additional details: $25

2. Families Celebrate Advent and Christmas (2024)

This collection of activities for Advent and Christmas comes in the form of a deck of cards illustrated by Carolina Farias. It is designed for families with children to use one card for each day of Advent and Christmas to engage scripture, pray, and do fun and meaningful activities together.

3. Advent and Christmas Digital Activity Kits (2022)

This downloadable kit provides an array of activities for children, youth, and families to explore faith at home together during the Advent and Christmas seasons. Activities include options like coloring pages, crafts, recipes, and Bible reading guides.

  • Age group(s): children, youth, families, intergenerational
  • Publisher and date: Sparkhouse, 2022 (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
  • Additional details: $49.99; two more editions are available through a subscription to Sparkhouse Digital

Books & Bible Studies

1. “Witness to the Light: An Advent Study with the Prophets” (2026)

This adult Bible study focuses on the ways that prophets in scripture as well as in contemporary contexts bear witness to “God’s transforming love” and justice, as author Erin Wathen, a United Church of Christ pastor, says in the introduction (4). The book is organized around four themes for the four weeks of Advent: “reveal,” “renew,” “rejoice,” and “return.” The study features short daily reflections with questions and prayers, and additional free resources are available for group discussion.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Author: Erin Wathen
  • Publisher and date: Westminster John Knox, forthcoming Sept. 2026 (Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.))
  • Additional details: $17 (paperback); discussion questions and worship resources are all included in the book, and introductory videos for each chapter as well as a Spotify playlist are available at the publisher’s website

2. “Light of the World: A Beginner’s Guide to Advent” (2026)

This adult study was first published in 2019 and has been revised, expanded, and republished in 2026. In this book, Jewish biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine provides insights into the historical, social, literary, and theological contexts of the narratives of Jesus’s birth in Luke and Matthew with particular attention to the Jewish dimensions and meanings of these scriptures. The study consists of four chapters, and videos on each chapter are also available through Cokesbury’s digital streaming platform or on DVD.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Author: Amy-Jill Levine
  • Publisher and date: Abingdon, 2026 (revised and expanded edition) (United Methodist Church)
  • Additional details: $22.99 (paperback), $15.49 (ebook); accompanying DVD is also available for purchase

3. “Practicing Radical Advent: Purposeful Waiting in Seasons of Change” (2026)

This book offers an indepth exploration of waiting and transitional situations in life. While not explicitly designed for the season of Advent, Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa and New Testament scholar Laurie Brink’s biblical and theological engagement with the theme of waiting can help people of faith gain deeper insight into the meaning of this liturgical season as well as of Advent experiences in their lives. The book contains eight chapters and weaves together discussion of scripture, personal stories, and the spiritual practice of lectio Divina.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Author: Laurie Brink, OP
  • Publisher and date: Eerdmans, 2026 (not affiliated with a particular denomination)
  • Additional details: $19.99 (paperback and ebook)

4. “The Advent Tree: Meeting Jesus in God’s Big Story” (2025)

This book by United Methodist pastor Kara Eidson provides reflections that can be used as a Bible study or daily devotional throughout Advent and Christmas. It is inspired by the tradition of the Jesse tree and engages readers in 40 entries that explore the stories and figures in scripture leading to the birth of Jesus. The book also includes weekly devotions for families, and additional accompanying digital resources like coloring pages and ornament printables are available for free through the publisher’s website.

5. “The First Advent in Palestine: Reversals, Resistance, and the Ongoing Complexity of Hope” (2025)

This book investigates the stories in Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels about Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in light of the political, social, and economic dimensions of first-century Palestine. In the book, author Kelley Nikondeha also puts the texts and their context in conversation with experiences of contemporary Palestinians. It was first published in 2022 and republished in 2025 in paperback format, and it consists of 10 chapters.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Author: Kelley Nikondeha
  • Publisher and date: Broadleaf, 2022 (hardcover), 2025 (paperback) (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
  • Additional details: $19.99 (with discount from publisher for bulk purchase); free discussion guide also available on the publisher’s website

6. “Calling All Angels: An Advent Study of Fearlessness and Strength” (2024)

This book invites readers to embrace the angels’ message “Do not be afraid” in the scripture stories surrounding Jesus’s birth of Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. It contains four chapters for each week of Advent with an additional chapter for Christmas, and the Advent chapters include short daily meditations on scripture, which gives this book the flexibility to be used as an adult formation resource and as a devotional.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Author: Erin Wathen
  • Publisher and date: Westminster John Knox, 2024 (Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.))
  • Additional details: $17; discussion questions, an Advent playlist, and worship resources are all included in the book, and introductory videos for each chapter are available at the publisher’s website

7. “Women of the Nativity: An Advent and Christmas Journey in Nine Stories” (2024)

This book by biblical scholar Paula Gooder offers a creative retelling of the story of Jesus’s birth from the perspectives of nine women. In addition to Elizabeth and Mary, the book highlights women like Rachel and Anna, along with the innkeeper’s wife. The book also features painted illustrations for each story.

8. “Stay Awhile: Advent Lessons in Divine Hospitality” (2023)

This book dives into the Advent themes of hospitality and preparation in conversation with prophetic and gospel texts in scripture in order to help readers reflect on what it means to create places where people “feel safe and loved.” It offers a chapter for each week of Advent as well as a chapter for Christmas Eve and a chapter for Christmas Day, and the chapters include short daily meditations and prompts for the Advent season. It can be used as an adult formation resource and as a devotional.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Author: Kara Eidson
  • Publisher and date: Westminster John Knox, 2023 (Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.))
  • Additional details: $17; discussion questions, worship resources, and introductory videos are all available in the book, and it also includes a Christmas pageant guide

Curricula

1. “A Thrill of Hope” (2026)

This digital curriculum and collection of other resources for Advent 2026 by Illustrated Ministry focuses on Advent’s invitation to hope in God’s salvation. It follows the Revised Common Lectionary lessons for Advent, Christmas, and the Feast of Epiphany, and it is designed to be used with children, youth, families, or intergenerational groups. Additional resources include: a worship liturgy, commentary and preaching guide, devotional, Advent calendar, coloring pages, worship bulletins, and more.

  • Age group(s): children, youth, families, intergenerational
  • Publisher and date: Illustrated Ministry, forthcoming Sept. 2026 (not affiliated with a specific denomination)
  • Additional details: $89.99 – 229.99 (bundles include different resources, some bundles include a sliding scale price based on church size); some resources are available for purchase individually

2. “Until the Dawn” (2026)

For 2026, A Sanctified Art has created a digital children’s curriculum and set of formation and liturgical resources that revolve around acting in faith while awaiting God’s coming and new creation. The curriculum follows the Revised Common Lectionary readings and includes seven lessons for Advent, Christmas, and the Feast of Epiphany. The lessons are designed for children ages 5–11 with suggestions for adapting to non-reading and younger children, and they feature an Advent candle lighting litany, scripture stories, questions for discussion, activities, coloring pages, and prayer.

  • Age group(s): children ages 5–11 with options for younger ages
  • Publisher and date: A Sanctified Art, 2026 (not affiliated with a specific denomination)
  • Additional details: $20 (digital); additional resources available for purchase individually or in bundles include: devotional booklet, liturgies, sermon planning guide, Advent calendar (for children and adults), children’s worship bulletins, star word activity, Advent poems, visual art, paper lace banner art project, and more

3. “What Do You Fear?: Insisting on Hope This Advent” (2025)

This digital curriculum centers on navigating both fear and hope in light of the gospel stories surrounding Jesus’s birth. It is designed for intergenerational groups, and it offers art activities, discussion questions, scripture monologues, centering prayers, and more. The curriculum includes 6 lessons for Advent and Christmas. Additional resources for families and churches are also available for purchase from the publisher.

  • Age group(s): intergenerational (age 5 and up)
  • Publisher and date: A Sanctified Art, 2025 (not affiliated with a specific denomination)
  • Additional details: $20 (digital); additional resources like a devotional, liturgy, worship bulletins, and art visuals can also be purchased separately or in a bundle with the curriculum

4. “The Will to Dream” (2025)

This digital resource engages Advent through scripture’s prophets in Isaiah, Malachi, and the synoptic gospels. It invites people into dreaming as a faithful way to struggle against contemporary injustices. The curriculum offers four Advent lessons plus two lessons for the Christmas season and a lesson for the Feast of Epiphany, and it is available in two versions: one for children and one for youth and intergenerational groups. Additional accompanying resources for families and churches are also available for purchase from the publisher.

  • Age group(s): children, youth, families, intergenerational
  • Publisher and date: Illustrated Ministry, 2025 (not affiliated with a specific denomination)
  • Additional details: $29.99 – 44.99 (digital children’s or youth/intergenerational version, sliding scale price based on church size); additional resources for purchase individually or in a bundle include an Advent calendar, coloring pages, worship bulletins, and more

5. “From the Manger” (2024)

This digital Advent curriculum and resource collection focuses on the themes of hunger and food in conversation with the story of Jesus’s birth. The curricula for each age group include five lessons, one for each week of Advent plus a lesson for Christmas. Lessons feature Bible stories, story cards and coloring pages, storytelling videos, discussion questions, activities, and prayer.

  • Age group(s): children, youth, families, intergenerational
  • Publisher and date: Illustrated Ministry, 2024 (not affiliated with a specific denomination)
  • Additional details: $19.99 – 34.99 for children’s or youth/intergenerational curriculum, depending on church size; additional resources (including an Advent calendar, coloring pages, worship bulletins, and more) are available for purchase individually or in bundles for at-home and church use

6. “Words for the Beginning” (2024)

This digital Advent curriculum and resource series explores the themes of beginnings and endings that are part of the Advent season. The curriculum offers 6 lessons, one for each week of Advent plus one for the First Sunday after Christmas and one for the Feast of Epiphany. Lessons include stories related to scripture, song suggestions, discussion questions, activities, prayer, and quilt squares to combine for a season-long creative project.

  • Age group(s): children, adults, families, intergenerational
  • Publisher and date: A Sanctified Art, 2024 (not affiliated with a specific denomination)
  • Additional details: $20 for the curriculum; additional resources (including a devotional booklet for adults, liturgies, a sermon planning guide, Advent calendars, and more) are available for purchase individually or in bundles

7. “Do Not Fear” from Follow Me (2023)

“Do Not Fear” is one unit in the “Follow Me” curriculum, which explores Christian practices to help people live more fully into their faith. It underscores God’s presence with us amid fear. It consists of four lessons that explore Old and New Testament scriptures, and like other units in “Follow Me,” the curriculum provides lesson guides for children, youth, adults, intergenerational groups, and congregation-wide sessions.

  • Age group(s): children, youth, adults, intergenerational
  • Publisher and date: Growing Faith Resources, 2023 (Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.))
  • Additional details: $15 – 35 for a leader guide, depending on age group; curriculum materials are available in both printed and digital formats and also can be purchased in bundles

Devotionals

1. “Comfort and Joy: Devotions for Advent & Christmas 2026–2027” (2026)

This devotional by Lisa Smith, Troy Troftgruben, Felix Javier Malpica, Stacey Nalean-Carlson, and Annabelle Markey offers daily meditations for the Advent and Christmas seasons that follow the Revised Common Lectionary readings for Year B. This year’s meditations focus on the themes of “comfort and joy” from the carol “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” and they include images and prayers. It is available in booklet form (linked above) and large print.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Authors: Lisa Smith, Troy Troftgruben, Felix Javier Malpica, Stacey Nalean-Carlson, and Annabelle Markey
  • Publisher and date: Augsburg Fortress, 2026 (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
  • Additional details: $3.50 (booklet), $7 (large print edition), with discounts for bulk purchases; ebook version also available through other retailers

2. “Gifts of the Mother: An Advent Journey with the Sacred Feminine” (2026)

In this Advent devotional, author Sabra Engelbrecht highlights feminine images and dimensions of God by exploring Mary’s story in tandem with the traditional Advent themes of “hope,” “peace,” “joy,” and “love.” The book draws upon Ignatian spiritual practices and includes weekly activities along with daily devotions for the four weeks of Advent plus a week of preparation and a week for the Christmas season. The book also provides ideas for use in groups, and a free discussion guide and sermon series guide are available on the publisher’s website as well.

3. “Gospel Voices: Advent with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John” (2026)

This daily devotional engages Advent by offering reflections on the opening chapters of the four gospels in scripture. Each week of Advent focuses on a different gospel, and the entries by Episcopal leaders Tina Francis, Jerusalem Jackson Greer, Deon Johnson, and Marshall Jolly provide short meditations, prompts for further reflection, and prayers. The devotional is undated, so it can be used for Advent in any year. Discussion questions for group use are also included.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Authors: Tina Francis, Jerusalem Jackson Greer, Deon Johnson, and Marshall Jolly
  • Publisher and date: Forward Movement, 2026 (The Episcopal Church)
  • Additional details: $12 (print), with discount for bulk purchases; ebook also available through other retailers

4. “Possibility: Our Advent Journey with the Prophet, Priest, Pastor, & Poet” (2026)

This devotional by Bruce Reyes-Chow, a Presbyterian minister and author, explores Jesus’s ministry as prophet, priest, pastor, and poet. Throughout the book, Reyes-Chow combines reflections on scripture with personal stories “through the lens of Gen X, California pastor, parent, person of color, and lover of all food,” as he says in the introduction (vii). Daily entries include scripture passages from the Common English Bible translation and prayers, and candle lighting litanies and sermon prompts are provided for the start of each week in Advent.

5. “Joy to the World!: Devotions for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany” (2025)

This devotional by Episcopal priest Robert Boak Slocum provides short daily reflections for the Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany seasons that engage scripture and offer personal narratives in order to help readers connect these seasons with their lives today. Entries are about two pages long and include prayers and questions for further reflection.

6. “A Light upon My Path: Daily Devotions for Advent & Christmas” (2025)

This daily devotional by Phil Beyer, Jazzy Bostock, Laurie Brock, Lester V. Mackenzie, John Ohmer, and Joseph Yoo for the Advent and Christmas seasons focuses on the imagery of light and on Jesus as a light. The entries are 3–4 pages long and include a scripture quotation, reflection, and prayer. The devotional is undated so that it can be used in any year.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Authors: Phil Beyer, Jazzy Bostock, Laurie Brock, Lester V. Mackenzie, John Ohmer, and Joseph Yoo
  • Publisher and date: Forward Movement, 2025 (The Episcopal Church)
  • Additional details: $12 (print), discounted for bulk purchases; ebook also available through other retailers

7. “Trans Advent” (2025)

This devotional by 13 authors provides reflections on scripture and the season of Advent through the lenses of transgender and nonbinary identities and experiences. It includes two entries for all the weeks of Advent except the final week, which provides Christmas Eve and Christmas entries in place of a mid-week Advent entry, and it also offers devotions for the First and Second Sundays of Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Epiphany. The devotional is free and can be downloaded as a PDF through the link below. Interviews with each of the authors are also available to view on the publisher’s website through the link above.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Authors: Moses Hernandez McGavin, Terra Jubilee Greer, Beckett Leclaire, Petra Strand, Lawrence Tanner Richardson, Ellis Billington, Que Josiah Thomas, Carla Robinson, Erin Swenson, Zayn Silva, Megan Rohrer, Avery Arden, and Danielle Dufoe
  • Publisher and date: Unbound, 2025 (Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.))
  • Additional details: free digital download

8. “Unhappy Holidays: Blessings for a Blue Christmas” (2025)

This devotional for Advent by Mennonite pastor Sherah-Leigh Gerber offers affirming words for those experiencing loss, grief, and other difficult situations during the season. The daily entries span December 1–25, and the book also includes suggestions for group use, candle lighting litanies, and Blue Christmas liturgy.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Author: Sherah-Leigh Gerber
  • Publisher and date: Herald, 2025 (Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada)
  • Additional details: $17.99 (paperback), $14.99 (ebook)

9. “Boundless: An Anti-Colonial Advent Devotional” (2024)

This devotional by 13 authors provides two weekly reflections and daily prayers from Advent to the Feast of Epiphany. The reflections and prayers bring lenses to Advent and scripture that expose and challenge colonialism and seek justice in various global contexts. The devotional is available for free as a downloadable PDF and on the publisher’s website.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Authors: Fadi Al-Zoughbi, Grace Al-Zoughbi Arteen, Sarah Augustine, Lee Catoe, Clara A. B. Joseph, Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks, José David Rodríguez, Jermaine Ross-Allam, Claudia Aguilar Rubalcava, Amaury Tañón-Santos, Niveen Ibrahim Sarras, Terry Wildman, William Yoo
  • Publisher and date: Unbound, 2024 (Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.))
  • Additional details: free

10. “Melodies of Faith: An Advent Devotional for African American Churches & Families” (2024)

This daily devotional is designed for African American congregations and families. It features 35 African American authors who offer personal narratives and meditations to engage Advent and Christmas scriptures and songs that have impacted their lives and faith communities, including church carols, African American spirituals, and contemporary music. The entries span the four weeks of Advent as well as the Christmas season and Feast of Epiphany, and they include reflection questions and prayers.

  • Age group(s): families, intergenerational
  • Editor: Tanya J. Tyler, compiled by Charisse L. Gillett
  • Publisher and date: Chalice, 2024 (Christian Church (Disciples of Christ))
  • Additional details: $5.99; discounts are available for bulk purchases

11. “Show Me Your Ways, O Lord: Devotions on the Psalms of Advent” (2024)

This devotional offers daily meditations that focus on the psalms that appear in the Revised Common Lectionary for the Sundays in Advent for all three years. The entries by Kathryn Nishibayashi, Beth-Sarah Wright, Nancy Frausto, and Kim Fox combine personal narrative with reflections on the psalms, and they include prompts for further reflection and action. This devotional is also undated, so it can be used year after year.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Authors: Kathryn Nishibayashi, Beth-Sarah Wright, Nancy Frausto, and Kim Fox
  • Publisher and date: Forward Movement, 2024 (The Episcopal Church)
  • Additional details: $12; discounted price available for bulk purchases, and an ebook version is also available for purchase

12. “2023 Advent Guide: A Journey Towards Justice for Women and the LGBTQ+ Community” (2023)

This free digital devotional offers short weekly meditations on the Revised Common Lectionary scriptures for Year B that focus on seeking justice and inclusivity for women and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. It includes entries by seven authors for all four weeks of Advent, Christmas Day, the First Sunday after Christmas, and the Feast of Epiphany.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Authors: Ren Martin, Jennifer Copeland, Arlecia Simmons, Carrilea Hall, Rachel Baker, Donna Parks Hill, Susannah Tuttle
  • Publisher and date: North Carolina Council of Churches (multidenominational), in collaboration with Justice Revival (not affiliated with a specific denomination), 2023
  • Additional details: free

13. “Ordinary Blessings for the Christmas Season: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations” (2023)

This book by pastor and poet Meta Herrick Carlson contains poetry, prayers, and meditations to bless “ordinary and not-so-ordinary moments of the season,” as the publisher’s website says. Its entries cover a range of topics, from “For Retail Workers” and “For Passing on a Beloved Family Recipe” to “For the First Christmas without Them” and “For Holiday Fatigue.” It also provides entries for Advent, the 12 days of Christmas, and reflecting on the nativity stories in scripture.

14. “Preparing the Way: Christian Practices for Advent” (2023)

This devotional by Forward Movement team members Scott Gunn, Richelle Thompson, Lindsay Barrett-Adler, Hugo Olaiz, and Miriam McKenney provides daily meditations for Advent that aim to help readers embrace “a gentler way,” as the publisher’s website says, through the often busy time of the season. Its entries highlight various Christian traditions and rituals of Advent as well as ways to invite God’s presence into other activities during the season, like Christmas tree decorating. This devotional is undated, which means it can be used in any year.

  • Age group(s): adults
  • Authors: Scott Gunn, Richelle Thompson, Lindsay Barrett-Adler, Hugo Olaiz, and Miriam McKenney
  • Publisher and date: Forward Movement, 2023 (The Episcopal Church)
  • Additional details: $12, with discounts for bulk purchases; ebook version also available for purchase through other retailers

Editor’s Note: This article was last published on September 8, 2025. It has been revised and updated on September 21, 2026.

Featured image is by Abigail Lynn on Unsplash

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  1. So much to choose from . I’m a retired director of children’s formation and I still love reading about all the opportunities given to those who care about children , Jesus and teaching the love of Christ !! Thank you

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