The Painted Prayerbook

ILLUMINATED 2023
December 3 – December 27
New for this Advent!

Beloved friends, I am so happy to share that registration for this year’s online Advent retreat is open! I can hardly begin to tell you all the ways this retreat holds my heart, and how much I am looking forward to it in this particular year. I would love to spend the season in your company.

In a chaotic time, this retreat will offer a space of elegant simplicity. Intertwining writing, art, music, and community, this online journey creates spaces of reflection and rest that you can enter into from anywhere you are, in the way that works best for you.

Info & registration:
ILLUMINATED ADVENT RETREAT

This online retreat is not about adding one more thing to your holiday schedule! It is about helping you enter deeply into a season that shimmers with mystery and possibility, solace and hope. It is especially designed to fit easily into whatever your Advent days might hold. We love hearing from people who say this retreat helps them breathe and engage the season.

Individual, group, and congregational rates are available. (And we have a very flexible definition of “congregation”!) We have gift registrations, too. Questions? Be sure to visit our Illuminated FAQ page.

I am grateful for you and sending you so many blessings as Advent draws near.

ILLUMINATED 2022
An Online Journey into the Heart of Christmas
November 27 – December 27

Beloved friends, I am thrilled to share that registration for this year’s online Advent retreat is open! I can hardly begin to tell you all the ways this retreat holds my heart, and how much I am looking forward to it in this particular year. I would love to spend the season in your company.

In a chaotic time, this retreat will offer a space of elegant simplicity. Intertwining writing, art, music, and community, this online journey creates spaces of reflection and rest that you can enter into from anywhere you are, in the way that works best for you.

Info & registration:
ILLUMINATED ADVENT RETREAT

This online retreat is not about adding one more thing to your holiday schedule! It is about helping you enter deeply into a season that shimmers with mystery and possibility, solace and hope. It is especially designed to fit easily into whatever your Advent days might hold. I love hearing from people who say this retreat helps them breathe and engage the season.

Individual, group, and congregational rates are available. (And we have a very flexible definition of “congregation”!) We have gift registrations, too. Questions? Be sure to visit our FAQ page for the retreat.

I am grateful for you and sending you so many blessings as Advent draws near.

ILLUMINATED 2021
An Online Journey into the Heart of Christmas
November 28 – December 27

Beloved friends, I am thrilled to share the news that registration for this year’s online Advent retreat is now open! I can hardly begin to tell you all the ways this retreat holds my heart, and how much I am looking forward to it in this particular year. I would love to spend the season in your company! In a chaotic time, this retreat will offer a space of elegant simplicity. Intertwining writing, art, music, and community, this online journey creates spaces of reflection and rest that you can enter into from anywhere you are, in the way that works best for you.

Info & registration:
ILLUMINATED ADVENT RETREAT

This online retreat is not about adding one more thing to your holiday schedule! It is about helping you enter deep into a season that shimmers with mystery and possibility, solace and hope. It is especially designed to fit easily into whatever your Advent days might hold. I love hearing from people who say this retreat helps them breathe and engage the season.

Individual, group, and congregational rates are available. (And we have a very flexible definition of “congregation”!) Questions? Be sure to visit our FAQ page for the retreat.

I am grateful for you and sending you so many blessings as Advent draws near.

ILLUMINATED 2020
An Online Journey into the Heart of Christmas
November 29 – December 26

Beloved friends, it has been hard to wrap my head around what the season of Advent might look like this year. But I do know this: I will be offering a new online Advent retreat, and I would love to spend the season in your company! Registration is now open for the Illuminated 2020 Advent Retreat. In a chaotic time, this retreat will offer a space of elegant simplicity. Intertwining writing, art, music, and community, this online journey creates spaces of reflection and rest that you can enter into from anywhere you are, in the way that works best for you.

I am excited that this year, for the first time, the Illuminated Retreat will be based on my book Night Visions: Searching the Shadows of Advent and Christmas. Whether you are new to Night Visions or are someone who returns to it each year, I invite you to join us for this unique chance to travel through it together. (Purchasing the book is not necessary.)

Info & registration:
ILLUMINATED ADVENT RETREAT

This online retreat is not about adding one more thing to your holiday schedule! It is about helping you enter deep into this season that shimmers with mystery and possibility, solace and hope. It is especially designed to fit easily into whatever your Advent days might hold. I love hearing from people who say this retreat helps them breathe and engage the season.

Individual, group, and congregational rates are available. (And we have a very flexible definition of “congregation”!) Questions? Be sure to visit our FAQ page for the retreat.

I am grateful for you and sending you so many blessings as Advent draws near.

ILLUMINATED 2019
An Online Journey into the Heart of Christmas
December 1-27

Friends, I am thrilled to say that registration is now open for the new Illuminated 2019 Advent Retreat! I am so looking forward to sharing the season with others who want to engage the hope and grace that call us toward Christmas. This online retreat will intertwine writing, art, music, and community, creating spaces of reflection and rest that you can enter into from anywhere you are, in the way that works best for you.

Info & registration:
ILLUMINATED ADVENT RETREAT

This online retreat is not about adding one more thing to your holiday schedule! It is about helping you enter deep into this season that shimmers with mystery and possibility. Offering a space of elegant simplicity as you journey toward Christmas, the Illuminated retreat fits easily into the rhythm of your days. I love hearing from people who say this retreat helps them breathe and engage during what can be a chaotic season.

Individual, group, and congregational rates are available. Questions? Be sure to visit our FAQ page for the retreat.

I wish you so many blessings as Advent approaches.

With Advent not far around the corner, I want to let you know that I will be offering a new online retreat for the season! It’s been a few years since I’ve done this, and I am so looking forward to sharing the season with others who want to engage the hope and grace that call us toward Christmas. The Illuminated 2018 retreat will intertwine writing, art, music, and community, creating spaces of reflection and rest that you can enter into from anywhere you are, in the way that works best for you.

Info & registration:
ILLUMINATED ADVENT RETREAT

This online retreat is not about adding one more thing to your holiday schedule! It is about helping you find spaces for reflection that draw you deep into this season that shimmers with mystery and possibility. Offering a space of elegant simplicity as you journey toward Christmas, the Illuminated retreat fits easily into the rhythm of your days.

Individual, group, and congregational rates are available. You can also give the retreat as a gift!

I wish you so many blessings as Advent approaches.

Image: Crossing the Threshold  © Jan Richardson

I can testify that the message of Advent still holds:
with hope, with grace, with love, God takes flesh
and meets us when we have become most hopeless,
most broken, most lost.

—from Advent 1: A Decade at The Advent Door

Friends, it’s time to open The Advent Door again! It’s been ten years since I began my blog for Advent and Christmas. I have loved entering deeply into the season with words and images and finding the treasures that wait for us in these days, even—and sometimes especially—when the days are something other than merry and bright. This year, I’ll be gathering up some of those treasures from across the past decade and sharing them as we travel toward Christmas. I would love for you to join me there!

If you’re not already a subscriber to The Advent Door, you can sign up to receive the posts in your email inbox during Advent and Christmas. Once you’re at The Advent Door site, simply enter your address in the “Subscribe by Email” box near the top of the right sidebar, and click the “Subscribe” button below your email address.

As we prepare to cross the threshold into Advent, I send you much gratitude and many blessings. I look forward to meeting you back here at The Painted Prayerbook in the new year!