Christmas Eve

I start decorating my home for Christmas early. It isn’t really out of excitement, more practicality. Thanksgiving is actually my favourite holiday, so over the years, I’ve collected a bunch of decor for the earlier celebration. Orange is my favourite colour, fall is my favourite season and way back when I was a varsity athlete, Thanksgiving was the only weekend in the fall term I had enough days off in a row to go home. Then as a pastor, it was the main holiday I had the most flexibility around my work…

Advent and Christmas, Advent Reader, Blog, Advent Reader 2024Advent ReaderDecember 24, 2024Jenn Burnett

An Invitation to Uncomplicated Obedience

Blog, Lent, Lent 2024Guest PostMarch 3, 2024Jenn Burnett

First Wednesday of Advent

I find the Christmas season is hard to untangle as a pastor, as a mom, and really just as a person. So many of our cultural customs have faith stories conflated with consumerism. I love how Christmas lights interrupt the darkness of our shortest days…

Blog, Advent and Christmas, Advent Reader, Advent Reader 2023Advent ReaderDecember 6, 2023Jenn Burnett

The Great Reversal

In the spring, I’m a rugby coach. I’m also a lot of other things, but in the spring, I live in my rugby sweatshirt. I love the smell of the earth—the dirt softening and giving way to grass. I love that it is a sport that draws together an eclectic group of players, a few who are naturally athletic or have played other sports, but also many for whom this is it, a hodgepodge of misfits finding a place to belong…

Blog, Lent, Lent 2023Guest PostApril 9, 2023Jenn Burnett

Silence and Simplicity

Most years I have come to long for Lent, and this year perhaps more than most. I’m not sure how I was first initiated into practicing this season but it likely began with noticing the change in liturgical colours decorating my rural Protestant church. Purple must have captured my imagination…

Lent, Lent 2022Guest PostMarch 5, 2022Jenn Burnett

the Third Saturday of Advent

Growing up, Christmas was a relatively quiet experience. My mom often worked through the holidays, and living on a hobby farm meant we weren’t going far if we were to go anyway. The one day I’d look forward to was the one day my aunt, uncle and cousin would come to visit…

Blog, Advent and Christmas, Advent Reader, Advent Reader 2021Advent ReaderDecember 18, 2021Jenn Burnett

Maybe the Middle

My son and I went on a mini bike trip this summer. We pedalled about 250 km from Saskatoon to Moose Jaw over three days. It was a fun little summertime adventure…

Canadian Culture, prayerGuest PostNovember 25, 2021Jenn Burnett

It’s Supposed To Bring Me To My Knees

I’ve always needed Lent in a personal way. I have a tendency to fill my plate to overflowing—drawn to every flavour and texture and combination. Wanting to savour every bit, but also rushing to the next so quickly that the richness of each is often compromised…

Blog, Lent 2021, LentGuest PostMarch 14, 2021Jenn Burnett

First Monday of Advent

As I approach Christmas this year it is with a certain resignation. I want to plan. I want to be scrolling through advent liturgies for the kids to read Sunday mornings as our tiny church family joins to light the candles on the advent wreath.

Blog, Advent and Christmas, Advent Reader 2020Advent ReaderNovember 30, 2020Jenn Burnett

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