Seminar Report 2025

Convener

Suzanne Wenonah Duchesne, Assistant Professor of Worship and
Preaching, Director of Mast Chapel at NewBrunswick Theological
Seminary, ordained elder, The United Methodist Church.

Members in Attendance

Suzanne Wenonah Duchesne, Elise A. Feyerherm, Laura Moore,
William Petersen

Visitors in Attendance

Victoria Larson

Description of Work

Our work this year included a paper by member William Petersen
regarding the language and a theological conception of
sovereignty within an Advent lens. In addition, members gave two
presentations. The first from Laura Moore who provided Children’s
Resources for Expanded Advent and the second by Elise
Feyerherm and Suzanne Wenonah Duchesne who shared
experiences and strategies for introducing Expanded Advent
within the seminary context. Our visitor Victoria Larson gave a
third presentation regarding her work in Expanded Advent
through, Barn Geese Worship

Papers and Presentations

• William Petersen: The Advent of Deeper Understandings: A
  Christological Key to Participatory Sovereignty in the Divine
  Realm. A paper based on the concept of “sovereignty” in the
  Divine Realm (Reign of God / Kingdom of Christ / Commonwealth
  of the Holy Spirit).
• Laura Moore: Children’s Resources for Expanded Advent
  Elise Feyerherm and Suzanne Wenonah Duchesne: Expanded
  Advent and the seminary context, both pedagogy and praxis.
• Victoria Larson: “Extended Advent with Barn Geese Worship.”
  Presentation sharing experiences creating and marketing
  extended Advent resources for mainline Protestant congregations
  mostly based in the US and Canada.

Other Work and Plans for the Future

Supplement our website: Set up a Google Page with a common gmail account that is already linked to the facebook page, update the documents provided to include those from the past few years from our seminar, including Elise Feyerherm and Suzanne
Wenonah Duchesne’s presentation accessible as strategies for introducing expanded advent to congregational and seminary contexts. Continue providing resources for preaching and worship
and children.

Seminar Report 2023

Convener 

Suzanne W. Duchesne (dr.suzanne.w.duchesne@gmail.com) is Vis- iting Assistant Professor of Preaching & Worship and Director of the Chapel, New Brunswick Theological Seminary, New Brunswick, NJ, and an Elder of the United Methodist Church.

Members in Attendance

Deborah Appler, Jill B. Comings, Suzanne Duchesne, Elise A. Feyterherm, W. Richard Hamlin, Laura E. Moore, Priscilla E. Petersen (guest), William H. Petersen

Description of Work

Two papers were presented (see below) and other members presented material as part of a continuing seminar project for posting on our www.theadventproject.org website.

Papers and Presentations

• Suzanne Duchesne, “Expanded Advent as De-Colonializing Liturgy.”
• Sill B Comings & Laura Moore, “Praying ‘in, with, and for’ the Reign of God/Kingdom of Christ/Commonwealth of the Holy Spirit: An Intercessor Prayer Resource for an Expanded Advent.”
• Elise Feyerher, “Lectionary Notes & Sermon Helps, Yr A, Advent 1 (Sa- pientia Sunday).”
• William H. Petersen, Lectionary Notes & Sermon Helps, Yr A, Advent 3 (Rex Gentium Sunday).”
• Deborah Appler, “Lectionary Notes & Sermon Helps, Yr A, Advent 6 (Oriens Sunday).”

Other Work and Plans for the Future

• Finishing Lectionary Notes & Sermon Helps for Yr A, Advent Sundays 2, 3, 7.
• Presenting Lectionary Notes & Sermon Helps for Y C, Advent Sundays 1-
• Paper(s) on Liturgical-Theological Implications of an Expanded Advent for Other Seasons of the Church
• 2025 Lectionary Notes & Sermon Helps for Advent Sunday 1-7 in Year

Seminar Report 2022

Convener

William H. Petersen (whpetersen@aol.com) is the founder of the NAAL’s Advent Project Seminar (2005). He is Emeritus Dean & Professor of Bexley Hall (Episcopal) Seminary where he taught liturgics, history, & spirituality

Members in Attendance

Elise A. Feyterherm, W. Richard Hamlin, Laura E. Moore, William H. Petersen, Suzanne Duchesne, Julie Martin Hutson, Jill B. Comings

Visitors in Attendance

Julie Martin Huston

Description of Work

The seminar heard and discussed two papers, reviewed our website (www.theadventproject.org) and made plans for enhancements, and updated our list of congregations participating in the observance of an expanded Advent.

Papers and Presentations

• William H. Petersen, “Repenting the Evil Done on Our Behalf—Corporate Repentance as Appropriate Penitential Aspect of an Expanded Advent.”
• Laura E. Moore, “Convergence or Conflict? A Comparison of the RCL and the Women’s Lectionary in an Expanded Advent Season.”

Other Work and Plans for the Future

This year’s convener is pro-tem and we will be looking to select a new convener for the next three years. We will also be re-inviting two new potential members to join us with Visitor status. Solicitation of reviews, resources, and/or papers from congregations participating in an expanded Advent observance in various traditions in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia.