Sr. Joanna Coleiro, fsp
Perhaps one of the most extraordinary things that Christianity tells us about God is that God chose to come among us and to become one like us. The story of Jesus is the story of God Among Us. It is through Jesus that we, as Christians, know what God is like. It begins with a manger, a baby, a mother.

Tony Densley reflects on what it means to live the Advent season in Australia, at a time in the year when we traditionally experience the dual forces of drought and floods.

Anne Victor’s activity for young students invites them to explore what it means to wait for something special. Anne offers teachers online resource ideas, among others, to develop an understanding of what it means to wait for Jesus.

Beth Nolen’s activity guides students through making a poster about Advent with a partner or a small group, including learning about Advent symbols and interviewing people who might know something about Advent.

In this engaging activity from Jennifer Callanan students are encouraged to discover the nature of God by exploring what Jesus reveals to us about God in the parables.

In this activity, Anne Victor invites students to reflect on how Mary and Joseph prepared for the birth of Jesus and to illustrate how they prepare to celebrate Jesus’ coming.

This activity from Beth Nolen invites older students to work together as a class to identify those people who most need to discover ‘God among us’.

Jan Grajczonek reviews three children’s publications that can be used to help develop themes associated with Advent: The Perfect Present by Fiona Roberton; The Little Refugee by Anh Do and Suzanne Do; and If the World Were a Village by David Smith.

Kirsty Power reviews three books which can be used in the Religious Education context and beyond: No One But You by Douglas Wood; Baptizing Harry Potter by Benedictine monk Luke Bell; and Mary’s First Christmas by Walter Wangerin.

Paul Taouk reviews Voices of Christmas by Nikki Grimes – a unique book that brings to life the characters of the Christmas story through a series of engaging soliloquies.

Peter Arndt’s justice article reminds us of the deeper meaning of Advent as a time of greater commitment to and awareness of those around us. Through a simple Advent Wreath prayer, Peter leads students to consider ways they can take action for change for the good of others and the world we share.

Jan Grajczonek helps early years teachers break open the abstract notion of ‘God among us’ for young children. Starting with the telling of a story (also reviewed in this issue) Jan invites students to reflect on their experiences of gift giving and gift receiving.

Jan Epstein reviews the recently released movie, In Time starring Justin Timberlake as Will Salas. Set in a dystopian world in 2161, In Time tells the story of a world in which it is only by buying, or stealing, time that one can live beyond 25 years of age. A movie to set students thinking about the value of time, how we use it and the damage done when power to control commodities is in the hands of a small group in society.