LOVING • SHARING • GROWING

ADVENT 
A  Time  of   Waiting  and  Anticipation  Celebrated:
The  Greatness  of  Christ  and  His  Return

 Bethel AMEC -  Saginaw

 2025   Season  of  Advent   Devotional Readings

WEEK 2 :   Lighting  of  The  Second Candle of Advent
Sunday,  December  7,  2025 

PEACE


It is the season of Advent.  A time of expectation, anticipation, and spiritual
preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ, a celebration of His birth or of His return.
We, as Christians, recognize, reflect on, and prepare through the lens of four spiritual themes: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.  This week’s focus is on PEACE.
 
Scripture:   John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as  the world giveth, give I unto you”.

This second week of Advent, we are concentrating on PEACE.  Real peace comes only from a relationship with Jesus.  The world gives us a false sense of Peace, but it is not sustaining.  When we reside in Jesus,  though trouble comes and we face trials, the Peace He gives keeps us grounded.  I am not saying we will not face difficulty.  The Peace Jesus gives us is not dependent on outside things or circumstances.  Jesus’ Peace holds you in trouble, keeps you when you don’t know what decision to make, carries you in the darkest hours, and consoles you in times of sorrow.

Peace in Action:
This week, take time to experience Jesus’ Peace!
  • Let Peace rule in your heart
  • Find Bible verses about Peace and read them this week
  • Let someone know how Peace brought you through

PRAYER:
God, we thank you for the Peace you give, which keeps us relying on you and not on people or objects. We thank you for a peace that we cannot understand.  Your Peace you give, and we thank you.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Blessings,
Brother Felix Alexander
Week 1: The 1st Sunday of Advent - HOPE
The First Candle of Advent - Sunday, November 30, 2025:
HOPE

It is the season of Advent.  A time of expectation, anticipation, and spiritual preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ, a celebration of His birth or of His return.

We, as Christians, recognize, reflect, and prepare through the lens of four spiritual themes: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. This week's focus is on HOPE.

Scripture: Isaiah 9:2 “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”

This first week of Advent, we begin our preparation through the lens of HOPE.  This Hope is not just wishful thinking or idealistic thinking, but a confident expectation firmly established in the Promises of God. The prophet Isaiah, in chapter 9, verse 2, tells us: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”  Isaiah spoke of God’s promises. Although Israel was surrounded by darkness, uncertainty, and spiritual silence, Isaiah spoke of God’s Promise of the light, the light that was Jesus Christ.  We experience our own forms of darkness today.  We endure illness, financial stress, strained relationships, grief, what seems to be unanswered prayers, and just plain weariness from things that are out of our control.  The season of Advent whispers to us through the noise, even as we are surrounded by darkness and chaos: the light is coming!  Wait, Hope, because God is working!

But this Hope is not passive. It is a confident, consistent, and conscious trust in God’s Promises. It is an opportunity to wait and not forget that Christ will come and fulfill every Promise.
 
Hope in Action:
This week, take some time and act in Hope!
  • Declare each morning: “My Hope is in Christ, The Light of the World.”
  • Find and write down a Bible verse about Hope and keep it where you can see it each day
  • Encourage someone and share your Hope with them
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, as we begin this Advent season, help us to secure our hearts in the Hope found in your Promises! Shine your light on our dark places and situations. Strengthen our faith as we anticipate, expect, and prepare in this season. Please help make our lives a reflection of the confident Hope that comes from you, so we can live as believers and share that belief with others.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Blessings,
Rev. Rochelle Laffoon
Week 2: The 2nd Sunday of Advent - PEACE
Read the devotional above on PEACE after the lighting of the second candle of Advent.