Advent Unwrapped: Fresh Resources to Strengthen Your Advent Invitation!🎄

Preaching to the Choir

[Credit: KPop Demon Hunters (2025). Netflix/Sony Pictures Animation] A blessed All Saints and Happy Halloween to you all (when it comes). I am calling it, the number one Halloween Costume this year will be anyone from K-Pop Demon Hunters, and rightly so, the movie about a demon hunting K-Pop girl band HUNTR/X who publicly fights and competes with the demon boy band the Saja Boys is catchy and sensical; what better way to fight demons than with the power of song! (Please note, I am speaking metaphorically.) “Your Idol” by the Saja Boys has been on repeat in my house. I was not prepared, but am grateful, for the theological conversations it has provoked!! With lines like “preaching to the choir, can I get the mic a little higher”, “you gave me your heart, now I’m here for your soul.” And “thank-you for the pain ‘cuz it got me going viral.” The parallels are pretty on point. Every time I hear the song (which is multiple times a day), I hear alongside it the words of Jesus: “no one can serve two masters…” (Matthew 6:24). The Saja Boys present us with the choice that is before each follower of Christ every day: will we choose community over capitalism, hope over fear, hate over love. And with the amount of pain and chaos going on around us the false idols that the Saja Boys represent are easy to get sucked into; they are so catchy that we hardly notice the choir is singing about damnation! The Saja Boys don’t start out looking like this. Most false idols start out looking refreshing, like a cold soda pop on a hot day (or a hot cider on a cold day). As we prepare to invite people into the irresistible story of Christmas, what false idols are we competing with? How do we have conversations with those we love about the choices and the risks that we make because of our faith?   As we wait and as we resist here are some fresh resources to help. For Everyone This month join me in a conversation with Tori Mullen and Scott Reynolds about sharing our faith with others. You can also learn more about strengthening your invitation during Advent with this resource. For Worship Leaders A new set of worship services with prayers, candle lighting liturgies and sermon ideas can be found on the Advent Unwrapped webpage. This is always a great time to reflect on how we can be anti-racist in our worship. For some notes on Anti-Racism in our worship check-out this blog on speaking about darkness in advent and for some reflections on Antisemiticism here is a blog and a webinar, and this webinar from 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism. For Musicians Pull out that Christmas music! Tammy-Jo shares some helpful tips here on getting ready for the season. Lisa Waites provided us two music packages last year, and check out this "What will we sing when we sing a new song" webinar. Don’t forget our Advent Music playlist.   Next month, we will be back with some more resources, including a longest night service, our 2025 advent calendar, conversations on how to celebrate advent and Christmas with young children, and a new video on the prophet Isaiah. If someone has shared this email with you (thanks!) you can subscribe to this newsletter. If you have any ideas or suggestions for Advent Unwrapped, please join the conversation on social media or send us an email at worship@united-church.ca Waiting (and resisting) with you, Alydia   Facebook Website Email Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Your generosity enables the United Church to love, serve, and minister in the world. Make an online donation or learn more about your options to support the work of the church.

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