Advent & Christmas

Natural Advent Wreath

By Francine Pirola | July 6, 2012

Advent is a time of eager anticipation of the coming of Jesus.  The lighting of Advent candles is old tradition that many families and churches…

The Perfect Christmas?

By Francine and Byron Pirola | June 18, 2012

The Holy Family may be the perfect family, but it’s doubtful Mary and Joseph experienced their first Christmas as all going to plan! If there…

The Spiritual Ancestors of Jesus

By Francine Pirola | June 18, 2012

A constellation of traditions exist to mark the miraculous event of Christmas: God becomes man in the person of Jesus Christ. The Jesse Tree is…

Saint of Generosity

By Francine Pirola | June 18, 2012

Who is St Nicolas? Born in the third century in modern day Turkey, his wealthy parents raised Nicolas to be a devout Christian. Responding to…

Advent Joy

By Francine and Byron Pirola | June 18, 2012

Advent means ‘coming’. In the Church calendar this is the four week period before Christmas, the feast which marks Jesus’ coming into the world as a new born…