“The extraordinary thing that is about to happen is matched only by the extraordinary moment just before it happens. Advent is the name of that moment.” —Fredrick Buechner

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Portland, Oregon, is offering an Advent podcast – Waiting: An Aural Advent Calendar – a way to take a moment each day for contemplation & reflection in the midst of the hectic secular Christmas season.

Every day of Advent, from November 28-December 24, Trinity will publish a brief 5-10 minute episodes, featuring original meditations on the theme of “waiting,” offered by a wide variety of Episcopal and interfaith clergy, as well as musicians, poets, and other aural artists.

“Advent arrives on the heels of Thanksgiving,” says Trinity’s Canon for Cathedral Life Shana McCauley, “when secular culture envelops the world in green and red, cinnamon and pine-scented, flashing lights with a muzak Christmas carol soundtrack. It’s a dramatic meeting of church and culture where the loudest voice threatens to win. This means we can feel harried and exhausted when we finally celebrate the birth of the Messiah.”

The episodes are brief, encouraging listeners to integrate them into the rhythms of daily life. They can be a grounding presence on the morning commute or an afternoon coffee break, while preparing dinner or getting ready for bed – providing a brief pause, a moment of quiet to help prepare for the extraordinary thing that is about to happen.