At the Movies with Isaiah

I thought, “It’s only September?!” when someone in my house said they were putting together a list of Christmas movies to watch.  

Their reply was pure joy: “But Dad, they’re so great!”  

With such succinct and irrefutable logic, what’s to argue? For many families, spending a little extra time together watching movies is part of the Christmas season experience. So, this year, let’s embrace the cinematic wonders of Christmas by exploring the prophetic visions of Isaiah in conversation with some Christmas movie classics including It’s a Wonderful Life, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf, and A Charlie Brown Christmas.  

The season of Advent is traditionally the beginning of the Christian year – a time when we set our sights on the new creation God promises to create through Jesus in the Spirit, and to let that vision shape our present living. Arguably, this is one of the prophet Isaiah’s main purposes throughout his ministry and writing.  

Each Sunday, we’ll read from Isaiah, explore his original situation, and hold both his context and good news next to our lives, while drawing on at least one Christmas movie.  

Our Advent-Christmas Reading Plan (available in print and online under the About tab) will include four passages per week to read and suggestions of movies to watch each week. Perhaps we’ll even host a watch party – watch your church communications for more information.