Pocket Prayers for Easter

Christmas is one of our best loved festivals. During the long dark days of winter, it gives the focus of a celebration to lift our hearts and spirits, and the food that goes along with it plays an enormous part. But the Christmas season isn't just about shopping, parties, presents and over-indulgence. Advent, the period leading up to Christmas, can also be an important time of spiritual as well as practical preparation. In this, Christina Rees's second collection of writings and recipes following Christian festivals, she explores the wonderful season of Advent and Christmas through the themes of Welcoming, Wondering, Giving, Receiving and Celebrating. With spiritual wisdom and recipes to guide us through the festive season (including Christina's original American turkey stuffing recipe as enjoyed and adapted by Delia Smith!), she provides inspiration for fantastic meals for family and friends, and insight for maintaining a fresh and positive perspective in the midst of all the seasonal activities. Feast + Fast – Food for Advent and Christmas is a rich and creative offering, perfect for anyone seeking joy and love that lie at the heart of Christmas.

Someone to Believe In is an original Advent course based on the classic Christmas movie Miracle on 34th Street. Through discussion of some of the themes and characters of this perennially popular film, the course helps us to think more deeply during the Advent season about the coming of Jesus, and what the Christmas story can teach us about our faith today. The course comprises four weekly group sessions which explore the following themes: – Beginning our walk of faith – Responding to challenges in our faith – What does faith mean when common sense tells us not to believe? – Understanding the gift of miracles Each session includes watching scenes from the 1947 Academy Award-winning Miracle on 34th Street (there are timing references for the DVD) and alternative options to watch scenes from the 1994 version. Each session also includes questions and reflections for group discussion, activities and suggested closing prayers. NB: DVD not included!