Advent Devotions

The Iona Community is an ecumenical Christian community, committed to seeking new ways of living the gospel in today's world, striving to rebuild the common life, bringing together the sacred and the secular. With a strong emphasis on justice and peace, many of their devotions relate quite well to mission related ministries. Here are a few selected Iona Advent devotions to stir us.

Re-enchanted

Within these fragmented days,
a gentle invitation
threads through our lives,
reminding us that all is sacred
and rooted
in a love that knows no bounds
And with that quiet knowledge we re-enchant our times,
taking risks on holy ground:
hearing God’s heartbeat in our global discomfort,
halting our harshness in our work for justice,
loosening our souls as our fears are named,
recognising new markers
in the passions of our prayers.

Re-enchanted,
we journey freely,
re-imagining God’s presence
with re-awakened minds;
discovering afresh that surprising healing Word

which today, so powerfully,
illumines our poverty of understanding.
~ Iona Advent, Peter Millar

Darkness and Light: A Creed for Advent

We believe in God,
robed in splendour,
veiled in mystery,
ruler alike of darkness and light.
We encounter God
in Jesus Christ,
who was tortured and put to death,
but whose radiance could not be quenched;
whose touch brings a blaze of colour
to a dull, drab world:
reviving the weary,
healing the wounded,
dazzling the satisfied.
We walk with God,
guided by the light of God’s loving spirit,
who enters the shadowed places of our hearts
and leads us into truth and life.
We wait for God,
and for the fulfilment of God’s promises,
for the time when the darkness will hold no fear
and the light will no longer blind,
but creation will be made whole once more
and God’s peace will reign for ever.
Amen
~Iona Advent, Cally Booker


The Voice of God

The voice of God is the voice crying out for justice:
the voice aching for wholeness;
the voice ranging ahead of us,
inviting us to stand fast for justice,
caressing our vulnerability,
tempting us to become whole.
In stillness, let us seek to become open to the voice of God.

We pray:
With people who only hear tormenting voices
raging inside their heads … self-destructive voices,
oppressive voices saying, ‘You’re no good’,
‘You’re wicked’, ‘You’re no one’ …

For people whose voices boom so loudly
they imagine they speak with the voice of God;
for multinational corporations,
dictators and bullies, politicians lost in their own self-importance,
countries who imagine they have a special calling from God …
With those whose voices don’t seem to count;
whose mouths move, but no one listens.
Whose voices can’t penetrate the plate glass of our indifference …

For ourselves: who are assaulted by a Babel of voices telling us,
‘You need this’, ‘You want that’,
‘Buy this product, you’ll be more popular.
You’ll be more beautiful.’
In silence, we strain to hear the voice of God.
Silence (extended)
Out of the troubles of silence gather us,

Voice of God:
agitate and excite us,
startle us with your unexpected presence,
ready us to act for justice. Amen
~Iona Advent, Rachel Mann


Send Us Out With Aniticipation and Joy

At this time of Advent,
fire our imaginations
with the sweep of your salvation.
Catch us up
in the cause of your kingdom,
already breaking into this world
in our ransomed lives
yet waiting for its final fulfilment when Christ shall come again.
And let your Spirit,
wild as the wind,
gentle as the dove,
move within us and among us,
to enliven our worship and strengthen our faith
and send us out with anticipation and joy.
~Iona Advent, John Harvey