The Flourish Team in the Thameshead Benefice has put together Advent bags to help local families engage with the message of Advent.
The bags, suggested by The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC), included tea lights, short prayers and suggestions of things to reflect on during advent – all to do with everyday faith.
They even included a large chocolate coin for each week.
Liz Collins a Reader from the Thameshead Benefice and part of the Flourish Team said, “I came across the suggestion from LICC about creating these bags and I thought what a great idea. We wanted a way to invite members of our congregation to reflect on their everyday faith and to reach out to our wider community, and this has been a great way of doing that. All the feedback has been really positive. Members of our congregation really liked them, and then they gave them out to others across the community and people have really appreciated them”.
Karen Czapiewski also a member of the Flourish Team said, “Some of the suggestions in the bag were things like ‘Think about how God invites you to make a difference where you are. On your front line, look for an opportunity to encourage someone else. When you write your Christmas cards, write an extra line of encouragement for them.
“We handed out the packs at church, giving one per family and encouraging people to take additional packs for their neighbours. We had fairly wide coverage in the parish and in some parts of the benefice and we’re aware of different families using the bags.
“People have told us how nice the packs were. They are really neat and I do recommend them.”
If you’re interested in using the idea in your area, find out more about the packs on the LICC website —>
The Flourish Team is Liz Collins (Reader), George Collins, (Deanery Lay Chair), Juliet Jago and 
Margaret Bush, along with Karen Czapiewski.
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