Jim Naughton from the Daily Episcopalian sent along this note about a great spiritual resource for Advent:
The Episcopal Diocese of Washington is offering its third annual online Advent calendar on the diocesan Web site at http://www.edow.org.
This year's calendar features a Peruvian tapestry of unspun wool. It depicts a rural Nativity scene in which shepherds in traditional white, black-banded hats pay homage to a Christ child sheltered beneath a rough stone arch.
Clicking on one of the calendar's numbered windows produces a web page featuring one of the distinctive figures from "Come and Behold Him," the crèche exhibit at Washington National Cathedral. The page includes links to daily prayers, meditations and online giving opportunities.
The diocesan Web site also features online Advent activities for children.
"We created the calendar to give those who live online an opportunity to observe a prayerful Advent," said Jim Naughton, the diocese's director of communications. "But people tell us it has evolved into a family activity, and it's a nice way to help direct the charitable impulses that well up at this time of year."
The crèche exhibit, in its 17th year, features almost 80 crèches from dozens of countries including Egypt, France, Mexico, the Netherlands and Sri Lanka. Curated by Lori Amos, it includes figures made from gourds, beads, steel, clothespins, terracotta and driftwood. It is on display in the Rare Book Library on the first floor of the cathedral until Jan. 7.
The giving opportunities include a diocesan fund to aid families made homeless by a settlement fire near Johannesburg, South Africa, and numerous projects sponsored by Episcopal Relief and Development.
The calendar was created by Amy Elliott, the diocesan communications assistant. Meditations were selected by the Rev. Deacon Vicki K. Black, author of Welcome to the Church Year and Welcome to the Book of Common Prayer.
