The Bible is rich with promises that were either realised in the coming of Christ or that await fulfilment in his coming again. Four of these promises are traditional Advent themes and they are considered in the first half of this course:

the return of Christ in judgement

the Word of God

the birth and role of John the Baptist

the Annunciation

Promise is also a predominant theme explored in the four weeks after Christmas:

Joseph's dream

the shepherds

the journey of the Magi

the story of Anna and Simeon

Promises, Promises is an eight-week course, suitable for both individual and group use, of exploration and reflection on the meaning and message of two of the most important seasons in the Christian calendar, seasons often neglected amid the many distrac­tions of this time of year.

Each session includes prayers, Bible readings, reflec­tions, discussion questions, meditations, suggestions for further reading, and ideas for action. There is also an optional quiz for ice-breaking in groups, and sug­gestions for suitable music.