The Lord Is Our Light: An Advent Study Based on the Revised Common Lectionary

The Lord Is Our Light invites you to explore God’s hope and presence through a study of the scripture readings for Advent and Christmas. Author Elaine Crawford calls us to explore our hope for new beginnings, praising God as we eagerly await the birth of Christ in our lives. Recalling the fulfillment of God’s promises at Christmas, she invites us to imagine the future culmination of our hope in Christ’s death, resurrection, and second coming. Crawford's reflections challenge readers to cultivate faithful lives here and now, in active expectation for the coming of the Christ Child.

Originally released in 2014 and based upon the Revised Common Lectionary scriptures for year B of the church year, a three-year cycle of Bible readings. The study includes commentary and reflection on key Bible readings from the Old Testament, the Gospels, and the Epistles. It offers the opportunity to explore these Bible readings in a five-session study. It will help participants understand, appreciate, and engage in meaningful and joyous celebrations of Advent and Christmas and to live each day in God's light through Jesus Christ.

The study book includes a leader guide with information about the season of Advent, suggestions for starting and leading small groups, Bible background, and discussion activities.

A. Elaine Brown Crawford serves as Adjunct Faculty at the Interdenominational Theological Center, and Candler School of Theology Course of Study faculty, in Georgia. She is an elder appointed  to Newman Chapel United Methodist Church in Newman, Georgia as Senior Pastor. She also holds a PhD in Historical Theology from Union Theological Seminary.

Dr. Nan Duerling has been writing and editing curriculum resources for youth and adults since 1984. The editor of The New International Lesson Annual, Nan has also contributed to resources including Mature Years, Scriptures for the Church Seasons, Seasons of the Spirit, Leader in the Church School Today, and Bible Lessons for Youth. When she served as a member of the Committee on the Uniform Series of the National Council of Churches, Dr. Duerling participated in the development of the annual cycles for the International Lesson Series and worked with the youth team as a consultant. Nan taught in the Course of Study School at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. from 1987 until she retired in 2008.

Nan lives in Cambridge on Maryland’s picturesque Eastern Shore with her husband Craig, her mom Ruth, Craig’s mom Helen, and two lively Curly-Coated Retrievers, Ada and Bentley, who are registered therapy dogs. The Duerlings are members of historic Zion United Methodist Church, where Nan leads a weekly lectionary study group for the community.