Bishop Andrew Asbil is inviting Anglicans to journey with him through Advent in a new four-part video series.
“Over the next four weeks, I want to explore with you the four traditional themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy and love,” he says. “These are the true gifts of Advent as we anticipate the birth of our Saviour, and I invite you to examine with me, in your own heart and with your small group, what each of these themes means for you.”
The series, called Light One Candle: Advent Reflections with Bishop Andrew Asbil, is available on the diocese’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/tordio135. It can be watched at any time. Each video is about 20 minutes long.
“While I will be speaking to you about my own experiences, there will be times in the recordings when you can pause and consider for yourselves the very questions that I am pondering this Advent too,” says Bishop Asbil.
Along the way, Bishop Asbil will be lighting an Advent wreath, and he invites viewers to do the same if they have one. “The Advent wreath is a tradition from our siblings in the Lutheran Church, who since the 16th century have shaped evergreen boughs – the foliage that never wilts or falls – into circles, the symbol of eternity, with no beginning or ending, and attached candles to mark the weeks until Christmas. It is a simple and powerful way to watch the light grow and illuminate our darkness, just as the light of Christ comes to light the world.”
The series includes prayers and a blessing by Bishop Asbil at the end of each segment.
The videos were shot at St. John the Baptist, Norway in Toronto and produced by the Diocese of Toronto.
It is healthy to wrestle with doubt and uncertainty