Daily Devotional by Text and Email
For those who are looking to “go deeper” and really dig into this season, we’ve put together a daily devotional, written by the people of Haymarket Church. A mixture of stories, personal reflections, Bible stories, prayer, and more, each morning we send a link (by text and email) that will take you to something that has been written by one of the people of Haymarket Church and that is meant to help you get into the spirit of Christmas – and to help you pay attention to God. To sign up to receive these daily devotionals by text, simply text “Advent” to 474747. To sign up to receive them by email, simply send an email with the subject line “Sign me Up for the Advent Devotional” to info@haymarketchurch.org.
You can find all of the devotionals (all those that have been published so far) here. Each day of Advent we will publish a new post here.
December 25 – Merry Christmas!
By Brian Johnson Merry Christmas! Today we celebrate the Good News that Christ has been born, that God is with us, that the Light of the World has entered into our darkness. However you celebrate today, may you know that God is with you – even in the mess, even in…
December 24 – A Weird Christmas Eve
By Brian Johnson It’s Christmas Eve. But, it’s a weird Christmas Eve. Today, for me at least, is usually a day full of big energy – on a normal year, there’s worship to lead, and there’s family in town, and there’s food to prepare, and so many people to see. …
December 23 – For Unto Us A Child Is Born
By Amanda Slyper “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…” – Isaiah 9:6 To me, Christmas is all about love and celebration. It is family and friends gathering around the piano as my mother plays carols, singing along and making a joyful noise with…
December 22 – Slowing Down for Wonder
By Kailey Thom “For thou art great and doest wonderous things: Thou art god alone.” – Psalm 86:10 Wonder. It’s a classic staple of the Christmas season. Yet sometimes the bits of wonder sprinkled throughout our daily lives go unnoticed. We get too busy, too…
December 21 – My Peace I Give To You
Written by Deb Angerman When my sisters and I were little, our household was not always a happy or peaceful home. Anyone who has grown up in the shadow of alcoholism will understand exactly what I mean. We spent a lot of time and emotional energy tiptoeing around…
December 20 – Attempting to Sabbath
By Kim Johnson It is 9:05 PM on December 19. This devotion publishes in a matter of hours. (Well, technically it publishes as soon as I hit the blue ‘publish’ button over there, but it gets to YOU in a few hours.) Pastor Brian has gently reminded me about this…
December 19 – The Rebel Jesus
By Brian Johnson One of my favorite Christmas songs is Jackson Browne’s “The Rebel Jesus.” It’s not quite a traditional song, but every year, when it’s time for us to start reading Chapter 1 of Luke, there’s something about this song that just – well, I think this…
December 18 – Why We Need The Grace Of Christmas
Written by Tim Grembowski What is the Reason for the Season? Luke 2:10-12: “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the…
December 17 – Do Not Worry
By Karen Weaver Matthew 6:34: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. This is so appropriate for 2020. Think of the last 11 months and worrying about jobs, economy, getting sick, family…
December 16 – Celebrating the Festival of Lights as a Christian
By Michelle Lebowitz “Praised are You, Lord, Our God, Ruler of Creation, Who has made us holy through His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.” “Praised are You, Lord, Our God, Ruler of Creation, Who worked miracles for ancestors during…
December 15 – God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Today we have another musical contribution to our Advent devotional. The Bryden Family (Brandi, Andrew, Finley, Jake, and Oliver) are playing a mashup of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “We Three Kings” – the arrangement is put together by a pop band, The…
December 14 – The First Disciple
Written by Brian Johnson “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. All who want to save their lives will lose them. But all who lose their lives because of me will find them. Why…
December 13 – A Blessed COVID Christmas
Written by Sue Kales Romans 12:12: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Luke 2:10-11: “But the angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior…
December 12 – Peanut Butter Balls
Written by Brian Johnson When I was a kid, Christmas meant Peanut Butter Balls. Little balls of peanut butter mixed with sugar, dipped in chocolate. When they cooled, they were like a Reese’s cup, only ten times better. When I was a kid, I thought they were my…
December 11 – I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day
Written by Brian Johnson (And drawn/written by Rev. Charlie Baber) “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” is one of my favorite songs for the season of Advent. It’s a song that embraces the tension I often feel during this season. The message of Christmas is a…
December 10 – Christmas Traditions
Written by Frank Vialpando When I was growing up with my sisters and brother, we had a Christmas tradition, just like everyone else. Not a very big deal, but we would open our presents on Christmas Eve. We would wait till after dinner was over, read Luke chapter 2…
December 9 – Annus Horribilus?
Written by Andrew Bryden The Queen of the United Kingdom (and fifteen other Commonwealth realms, should you be interested), may call 2020 an “annus horribilis.” It certainly hasn’t been the best by any stretch of the imagination. And I’m going to assume you know…
December 8 – Away In A Manger
Today we have another musical contribution to our Advent devotional. Katie Luetkenhaus is a member of Haymarket Church and is singing the classic Christmas carol, “Away In A Manger” while accompanying herself on acoustic guitar. If you’ve missed any of our…
December 7 – Angels Among Us
Written by Al Kales 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body.” During these…
December 6 – The Baby Grew Up
Today in worship, we will be reading the opening verses of the Gospel of Mark – beginning with the first verse of the first chapter (Mark 1:1-8). Mark is one of four Gospels – along with Matthew, Luke, and John. These four books are found at the start of the New…
December 5 – O That You Would Tear Open the Heavens and Come Down
Written by Brian Johnson There’s a line from last Sunday’s Old Testament reading that always gets me. It’s from the passage from Isaiah that we read during worship. In that passage, the prophet cries out to God in pain. Isaiah, and the people of Israel, were…
December 4 – What Christmas Means To Me
Written by Brenda Grembowski Christmas is the rare occasion where your past, present and future collide, in the best possible way. For my past, it means remembering my childhood when my parents struggled to make ends meet, but always found a way to put treats in…
December 3 – A New Tradition
Written by Donnie Angerman This time of year, everyone has their traditions that remind them of special memories. For some it is decorating cookies or gingerbread houses. For some it is gathering around the tree on Christmas morning, enjoying the unwrapping of…
December 2 – Christmas Lights, The More the Merrier
Written by Will MacKay Christmas is lights, and the more the merrier. Christmas light touring is a recent tradition in our family. I guess it started with our son, TJ’s, first vocal reaction to our Christmas light many years ago. It has morphed from him pointing…
December 1 – All Is Well
Music Performed by Vicki Kolbe Today’s devotional is a little bit different. Today, we’ve got a Christmas song, played by one of the people of Haymarket Church. We are going to be doing this a few times throughout these next few weeks. We hope that this is an…