Our time in Galway was fabulous and the day of Advent prayer went extremely well. With roughly thirty parishioners and ministers from the Bearna parish, we reflected on our journeys towards Christmas through guided meditation, song and discussion. Calling on passages from Isaiah 35, the first session covered “Where we come from, where we are, and where we’re going.” The second session was on the topic of “Origin and Destination” and took a Lectio Divina approach to the Visitation Story, encouraging us all to seek ways in which we can carry our Advent light with us throughout the entire year.

The day included time for small group discussion about past and current experiences of Advent and Christmas and after an actual procession of light from one part of the church to the other, ended in a beautiful reflection on our journeys from darkness into light. Several of the participants brought up at one point or another how happy they were they attended and how, for them, just being there was a huge step forward along their Advent journeys.

Not only the prayer service, but the entire stay in Galway felt like a much needed retreat. We were hosted by long time friends of the Folk Choir who live right on the edge of the Galway Bay in the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking region). The stunning scenery, the beautiful foreign language, and spending time with an incredible Irish family who completely took us under their wing was such a blessing and way to help us all unwind. I can’t wait to go back!