As Thanksgiving approaches and the season of Advent and Christmas draws near, the flurry of ministry responsibilities can sometimes feel overwhelming. Yet, in the midst of all the preparations, we are invited to pause, reflect, and express gratitude for the many good gifts of God. One of those gifts that has often been a blessing in my (John Borthwick) own ministry is the ability to plan ahead. Advanced planning helped me navigate unexpected pastoral situations, burnout, and the everyday busyness of congregational life.

With that in mind, we want to share a few resources that might spark your creativity and provide practical support as you prepare for the upcoming seasons. Whether you're planning worship services, family ministries, or community outreach, these resources can help you stay grounded and inspired.

You may know Kate Bowler from her bestselling book Everything Happens for a Reason (and Other Lies I’ve Loved), where she writes poignantly and honestly about her experiences with faith, illness, and uncertainty. What you might not know is that she’s also begun curating a resource hub designed specifically for ministry leaders!

From sermons and liturgical guides to pastoral care resources, Kate’s new Resource Hub offers thoughtful and engaging materials. This Advent, she’s released a new guide titled The Weary World Rejoices, which includes devotional content and sermon outlines to help your congregation explore themes of hope and perseverance during the holiday season. It’s a great way to bring fresh ideas and depth to your Advent worship planning.

If you want to receive more updates from Kate, you can subscribe to her regular newsletter. You even have the option to request emails that focus solely on ministry resources, making it easy to stay in the loop.

Look! A Child’s Guide to Advent and Christmas

Laura Alary, author and Knox College alumna, has written a beautiful series of children’s books centered on the themes of the liturgical year. One standout is Look! A Child’s Guide to Advent and Christmas, which is part of her Circle of Wonder series. This book, with its accompanying free activity guide, transforms a simple read-aloud into a whole season of meaningful family and congregational practices.

In addition to Look!, Laura has authored Make Room: A Child’s Guide to Lent and Easter and Breathe: A Child’s Guide to Ascension, Pentecost, and the Growing Time. Early next year, she’ll be releasing a new title, Rise: A Child’s Guide to Eastertide. You can preorder it here, and we look forward to a special conversation with Laura on The Ministry Forum Podcast in January where she’ll share more about her writing and her vision for nurturing children’s faith.

illustrated Ministry

If you’re looking for engaging, high-quality resources that can be used for intergenerational worship or home activities, Illustrated Ministry offers some of the best options out there. Their latest Advent resource, From the Manger, provides a comprehensive suite of materials that can be adapted for various settings—from Sunday School to home devotions.

You can take a look at this free sample to get a sense of their unique approach. During the height of the pandemic, their resources were particularly helpful for digital and in-person worship alike, and I know many ministry leaders who continue to rely on their creative offerings.

Advent Conspiracy

Advent Conspiracy is a movement that encourages churches and families to turn away from the consumer-driven Christmas rush and embrace worship, relational giving, and acts of service. Their downloadable Advent guide and small group materials help congregations explore how to worship fully, spend less, give more, and love all. This resource is a great way to challenge your community to focus on what truly matters during the holiday season.

The Bible Project

The Bible Project offers a four-week Advent video series that covers hope, peace, joy, and love, where each video has an accompanying reflection guide. These animated videos can be used for small groups, Bible studies, or even as part of your Sunday worship.

Sacred Ordinary Days

Sacred Ordinary Days creates beautiful liturgical planners and devotionals that guide individuals and churches through the seasons of the church year. Their Advent Page is an ever-growing collection of resources to help you deepen your experience of the season. Many of them were created by members of the Sacred Ordinary Days community.

The Advent Project

The Advent Project by Biola University is a daily online devotional series featuring Scripture, art, poetry, and music. Each day’s devotion includes a written reflection and creative works that deepen the spiritual experience of Advent.