Advent is a season of waiting and watching for God to come near: keeping awake, staying alert, and paying attention. For Mary Oliver, poetry is a beautiful way to sharpen our senses, helping us notice what we might otherwise miss.

In this Advent devotional, biblical texts and accessible practices interact with Oliver’s poems to create a four-week journey to Christmas morning. All you’ll need is your favorite Bible and Oliver’s classic collection, “Devotions” (all the poems referenced in the devotional can also be found online). Week by week, we’ll walk through the woods and along the seashore, with Mary Oliver as our guide.

This resource includes an introduction to the Advent season, as well as an editable page on which you can enter upcoming events on your church, personal, or family calendar.

The scriptural passages in this devotional correspond to Year C in the Revised Common Lectionary - but since their themes are universal, this devotional can be used fruitfully during any Advent season.

Files: This listing is for a downloadable PDF, printing instructions for 8.5 x 11 paper, and an e-reader version of the devotional. Any or all of these resources can be distributed electronically to members of your congregation.

Please note: you will not receive a physical product as this is a digital download. This resource is for congregational use only, which means it may not be reproduced commercially, duplicated, or resold :)