First Sunday of Advent-Introduction to the Jesse Tree

First Sunday of Advent
Introduction to the Jesse Tree

Image credit: thetuckerbunch.typepad.com

One educational and meaningful Advent tradition is the remembrance of the family of Jesus through the Jesse Tree. The Jesse Tree is a countdown to Christmas using scripture and symbols to recall the ancestors of Jesus. The name comes from Isaiah 11:1, "But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom."

A Jesse Tree can be a poster on a wall, or it can be incorporated on to your Christmas tree. Each day of Advent, a symbol is placed upon the tree, and a scripture reading is read. For the four weeks of Advent, we will be looking at each day of the Jesse Tree.

Today's Symbol: The bare tree
Scripture Readings: Isaiah 11:1-10
                              1 Samuel 16: 1-13