An Advent Koru

Story and photos contributed by Rev. Jill McDonald, minister at St Andrews Presbyterian Church in Hastings.

It is wonderful to use elements from God’s creation in worship. Using shells or stones or other things from nature enables people to engage with God using other senses.

Advent is a time I like to do this. A few years ago, the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa NZ’s Kids Friendly resource person, Jill Kayser came up with the idea of creating an Advent koru instead of an Advent wreath. While a wreath reflects a northern hemisphere winter Christmas, an Advent koru points to the new life that Christ’s birth brings here in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Advent koru is made up of shells which portray our kiwi summer, along with stones, bird’s nests, feathers, flowers, and other natural things we can find. Last Advent I encouraged people to bring a contribution from nature each week to add to the koru to reflect that particular week’s theme. For ‘joy’ parishioners were encouraged to bring something from the natural world that had brought them joy during the week. For ‘love’ they were encouraged to bring a flower to remember someone whose absence they feel strongly at Christmas. On Christmas Eve, entering the church sanctuary to see the Advent koru with tealight candles emphasising Christ’s new life was exquisite!

These photos are of last year's Advent koru. It started simple and then we added things each Sunday of Advent. There is a bone and a nest as well as shells, driftwood and stones, and flowers to remember those who have died.

Read more about Jill McDonald, and especially her work on energy justice and solar power generation, in Awhi Mai Awhi Atu: Women in Creation Care, edited by Silvia Purdie.