The third Sunday in Advent often has a focus on Joy. Because it is closest to the longest night (December 21) of the year, and the start of the Great Antiphons (December 17), there are many opportunities for worship this week. For additional creative resources, visit Advent Unwrapped.
Worship Ideas
- Advent Bible Study: Nothing Says Advent Like the End of the World (33.99 KB) (Word): An inter-generational bible study that can be done in a coffee shop, a dorm room, around a kitchen table, or in worship.
- Advent Candle Lighting: Bold Discipleship (91.69 KB) (Word): Candle-lighting liturgy that dares us to dream boldly.
- Advent Communion Liturgy (68.56 KB) (Word): All who seek to be nourished and sustained are welcome here.
- Advent Unwrapped 2025: Christmas Pageant Service (213.35 KB) (PDF): A lesson and carol style service based on the characters in the Christmas Story.
- Advent Unwrapped 2025: Weekly Services for Advent (381.55 KB) (PDF): Services and activities for each week of Advent.
- Blue Christmas or Longest Night Service (2024) (49.17 KB) (Word): A new Blue Christmas service by Rev. Dr. Lisa Waites.
- Body Prayers (2.31 MB) (PDF): An Advent Unwrapped “action prayer” for each week of the Advent/Christmas season.
- Candle-Lighting Liturgy (26.57 KB) (Word): An invitation to consider our world that God so loves beyond the familiar and engage with the non-familiar.
- Family Prayers and Blessings (221.67 KB) (PDF): An Advent Unwrapped resource of traditional prayers and creative blessings.
- Gathering Weekly Services for ACE, November 30, 2025-February 15, 2026 (1000.5 KB) (PDF): Suggested readings, worship sparks, and more. A subscription to GatheringWorship.ca gives you access to more amazing content!
- Hanging the Greens (39.92 KB) (Word): An Advent Unwrapped service to prepare church buildings and sanctuaries to be symbols of preparing ourselves for the birth and rebirth of Jesus.
- Hidden Gift Sunday (41.61 KB) (Word): A service that reflects the trials of 2020 while focusing on the spiritual gift of Joy.
- Hidden in Plain Sight: White Gift Sunday (78.24 KB) (Word): An opportunity for people of all ages to contribute.
- In the Rich Dark of Winter: An Advent Communion Service (235.68 KB) (PDF): Using expansive scriptural imagery, the theme of this Advent Unwrapped service is anticipating God’s fulfilled promise of the renewal of all things.
- Loss, Healing, and Hope: A "Blue Christmas" Service (75.87 KB) (Word): Gather in honesty about grief, hear the consolation of God’s presence and love, and depart with the joy that comes from memory and a sense of shared peace.
- Making Space for the Grace of Joy (3C) (28.82 KB) (Word): An order of worship for Advent 3C.
- O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (269.67 KB) (PDF): A one-rehearsal Advent Unwrapped pageant with the message "God is with us! We are not alone."
Music
- Advent Prayer Song (SAB) (Nancy Chegus) (61.83 KB) (PDF): Short SAB piece (a cappella, optional piano) suitable for worship during Advent. Please credit the composer.
- Alleluia (SATB) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (418.48 KB) (PDF): Short SATB piece (a cappella, optional piano) suitable for worship during Advent or other times during the worship year. Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- As the Wind Blows (SA Anthem) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (2.55 MB) (PDF): “As the wind blows, as the seed grows, lifts its harvest to the sun…” Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- Candle Burning (SATB Anthem) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (3.58 MB) (PDF): “We each are born with a candle burning. This is the flame that lights the way.” Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- Intercultural Hymn Festival for Advent (219.55 KB) (PDF): These songs with accompanying commentary can be combined with seasonal prayers and scripture readings to create an Advent hymn festival. Please credit Bruce Harding for this resource and the music arrangements.
- Scripture Music for Advent (239.47 KB) (PDF): Words and music to accompany scripture during Advent.
- Service Music for Advent (329.68 KB) (PDF): Words and music for Advent services composed by Lisa Waites.
- Sing Now Gloria (Unison) (Terry Macham) (85.52 KB) (PDF): Unison song suitable for worship during Advent. Lead sheet with melody, lyrics, and chord symbols. Text in English and Latin. Please credit the composer.
- We Light This Candle (SATB) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (2 MB) (PDF): A piece for use during candle lighting for the four weeks of Advent. Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
- When You Go from This Place (SSA / SAT) (Pat Mayberry / David Kai) (297.13 KB) (PDF): Short SAA (or SAT) piece with piano accompaniment suitable as a benediction during Advent or other times during the worship year. Please credit Words/Music: Pat Mayberry; Arrangement: David Kai and report to One License / Licensing.
Related Material
- 2021 KAIROS Palestine Christmas Alert (1.37 MB) (PDF): A glimpse on Palestinians' life inside and outside Palestine and the unity in struggle, resistance, and hope.
- Advent as a Season of Invitation (1.46 MB) (Word): Tips for working on the invitation-culture of your church during Advent.
- Advent as a Season of Invitation Card (362.15 KB) (PDF): Use this fillable, printable card to invite others to your church to celebrate this Christmas season!
- Advent as a Season of Invitation Video: United Church growth animators Tori Mullin and Scott Reynolds play out a conversation between neighbours with three possible responses to an invitation to Christmas worship. This conversation highlights the importance of hearing the needs of others while also respecting boundaries when inviting others to celebrate this Christmas season.
- Advent Colouring Storybook (1.15 MB) (PDF): Explore the story of Christmas using this 17-page Advent Unwrapped colouring book.
- Advent Unwrapped 2025: Activities Calendar (178.97 KB) (PDF): A calendar of activities for Advent.
- Advent Unwrapped 2025: Bingo! (199.92 KB) (PDF): Play Advent bingo with these cards--or make your own!
- Advent Unwrapped 2025: Christmas Traditions (390.79 KB) (Word): A series of blogs by Rev. Stephen Milton about Christmas traditions.
- Advent Unwrapped 2025: Prayer Calendar (435.66 KB) (PDF): A calendar of prayer prompts for each day of Advent.
- Advent Unwrapped 2025: Zines for Prayer and the Whole Family (602 KB) (PDF): Pocket zines featuring Advent prayers and activities.
- Advent Unwrapped Activity Sheets (675.28 KB) (PDF): Activity sheets to help you reflect, pray, and prepare for Christ.
- Buy Less Shopping Guide (108.17 KB) (PDF): An Advent Unwrapped shopping guide for all ages for a Buy Less Christmas.
- Games to Play in Advent (324.97 KB) (PDF): Here are some fun games from The GO Project Church School Curriculum for Advent.
- Household Advent Scavenger Hunt (420.16 KB) (PDF): See if you can find these symbols and traditions of Christmas in your home or church!
- Moderator's Advent Message 2024: Transcript (33.57 KB) (Word): Transcript of Moderator Carmen Lansdowne's Advent 2024 video message.
- Moderator’s Advent Message 2024: Video: In her Advent message, Moderator Carmen Lansdowne reflects on how the Christ child was not born in luxury, but had loving parents and God’s grace. This love is what we hope for with all of those in our care. You can support children around the world: united-church.ca/advent.
- The Good News of Joy to the World (226.11 KB) (PDF): A five-session Advent Unwrapped Bible study on the Gospel of Luke by the Rev. Dr. Peggy Mulambya-Kabonde of The United Church of Zambia.
- The Good News Story (392.39 KB) (PDF): Four Advent Unwrapped Sunday school session outlines.
- Watching and Waiting: A Daily Vigil Based on the O Antiphons (628.25 KB) (PDF): Follow the ancient tradition of praying the “O Antiphons,” familiar from the carol “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” using this Advent Unwrapped resource. You can set aside nightly family prayer time for the last week of Advent or adapt this ritual in another way.
Worship Blog
Unwrapping "The 'Huron' Carol"
We have received many comments and questions about whether or not to incorporate the “’Twas in the Moon of Wintertime” into Christmas carol services. Thanks to Dana Lynn Seaborn, of seabornsong.com, who offered us a helpful response to start the… Read more
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