Advent 2024
. . . new life starts in the dark. Whether it is a seed in the ground, a baby in the womb, or Jesus in the tomb, it starts in the dark. - Barbara Brown Taylor
If it's darkness we're having, let it be extravagant. - Jane Kenyon
December 1 | ADVENT 1
Rev. Carrie Veal preaching “Hope in the Darkness”
December 8 | ADVENT 2
Preaching | Rev. Dr. Derek S. Hicks
Sermon | Hope Song of a Disjointed Kingdom
Music | Claudio Olivera and Madeline Beitel
Join us as we reimagine carols and Christmas songs through the lens of jazz.
December 15 | ADVENT 3
Music | Vivaldi's Gloria
Vivaldi's Gloria has been performed for over 200 years for a reason. It is energetic and brings to voice the message that the shepherds heard while tending the sheep on that Christmas night. “Glory to God In the highest and peace to all on earth!”
December 22 | ADVENT 4
Lessons & Carols
The tradition of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols dates back to late Victorian times in England. The most famous being the service held at Kings College, Cambridge on Christmas Eve in 1918. Up to the late 19th century, the singing of Christmas carols was normally performed by singers visiting people's houses, and carols — generally considered to be secular in content — had been excluded from Christian worship. In the Victorian era, the rising popularity of hymnody encouraged church musicians to introduce carols into worship.
At Myers Park Baptist we use the framework of the traditional service while diversifying its content. Our service will feature music and readings that tell the Advent and Christmas story utilizing classical, contemporary and gospel anthems. The congregation will have many opportunities to sing time-honored carols accompanied by our grand Aeolian-Skinner Organ.
December 24 | Christmas Eve
10:00 am Worship & 6:00 pm Candlelight Worship
Rev. Carrie Veal preaching
We hope you will join us for either of our services featuring festive music, Communion, and candle lighting.
December 29 | Christmastide
Online Worship ONLY
Please join us online through our Livestream on our website, YouTube, or Facebook. We will not have an in-person service.
Advent Devotional Resources
This Advent Season, we are all needing some extra light. As we make our way to Christmas amidst grief, a charged political climate, uncertainty about the future, the darkness can feel more overwhelming. The staff has chosen two Advent devotional books as a recommendation for you.
Shadow and Light: A Journey into Advent by Tsh Oxenreider
Shadow and Light is a rich yet approachable experience that invites you to explore the historical meaning of Advent. Drawing from liturgical tradition, Tsh provides fresh insights for new and longtime believers alike. Each day includes scripture, a reflection, a question, and a simple activity to engage the senses, such as lighting candles, listening to music, and viewing artwork both old and new.
Do Not Be Afraid: The Joy of Waiting in a Time of Fear by Rachel Mann
Author Rachel Mann offers, “… luminous meditations [that] tell stories of God waiting with us when we're in fear or distress; of coming - bidden or unbidden - to relieve our loneliness; of disconcerting us, desiring us, and surprising us with joy... Most of all they remind us that Jesus Christ comes into the world as one long waited for; as the servant who waits on others; as the one on whom we are, adoringly, called to wait.”