As we approach the season of Advent, a season when we are called to quiet our hearts, to look for light in the shadows, and to prepare room for the coming of Christ, we do so in the midst of the increasing noise of Christmas preparations and the chaos of the world. It can feel impossible to sit in the anticipation while the demands of the world chant with increasing fervor, “Let me in!” In this time of anticipation, few figures embody waiting, hope, and courage more profoundly than Mary.

Chosen to bear the Son of God, Mary stands at the intersection of heaven’s promise and earth’s need. Her story is not only one of miraculous birth but of radical trust. Through her words, her silence, her courage, and her song, we see what it means to believe that God is doing something new, even when we cannot yet see it.

This three-week study offers the opportunity to pause and breathe; to walk with Mary as she prepares to bear God. With each step of her journey from angel’s greeting to the stable’s stillness, from wonder to worship, she reveals God’s revolutionary love. We hope you will come and walk with Mary. And as we reflect on her response, may we find ourselves renewed in faith, ready to receive Christ who comes to us born in a manger, born to change the world.

Designed for small or large groups, each session includes:

OPENING PRAYER
CONTEXT AND GROUNDING
SCRIPTURE EXPLORATION
HEBREW SCRIPTURE CONNECTIONS
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES TO GO DEEPER
COMMUNITY REFLECTION QUESTIONS
CLOSING PRAYER

The full curriculum will be available for download on November 12, 2025.

For more information or if you have questions, please contact Charlette Preslar, cpreslar@edsd.org.

Walking with Mary in Advent was created as a resource for the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego by the Reverend Jacob Robling, Teresa Hixson, and Charlette Preslar.