HELP a church in Portsmouth share the real meaning of the season across social media this Advent.

The Rev Paul Gully, Rector of Farlington, promoting the themes.

The parish of Farlington is running a social media campaign called #AdventMeans in the four weeks leading up to Christmas to help raise awareness of what Advent is all about.

Each week they are focusing on one of the four seasonal themes: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love, and asking people to join them in sharing images or words which demonstrate that theme on social media.

It starts this Sunday (29 November) with the theme of Hope.

The Rev Paul Gully, Rector of Farlington, said: “The season of Advent is a time for making ourselves ready afresh for the arrival of Jesus Christ, but sadly it can all too easily get lost in the busyness of preparing for Christmas.

“We wanted to help share that the season is about so much more than chocolate Advent Calendars.

“During Advent we emphasise Hope, Peace, Joy and Love because God sent all of these things in the greatest gift ever given, Jesus – a real, living, breathing human being who walked this earth more than 2,000 years ago and whose life, ministry, death and resurrection brought us peace with God and one another.

“So this Advent we’re aiming to share Hope, Peace, Joy and Love across social media and we’d like you to help us.

“Each Sunday of Advent we will launch the theme for that week and invite you to share an image (photo, painting, symbol) or word which for you symbolises that theme. So for love, you might like to share a heart.

“When you share something please use #AdventMeans (followed by the theme), so for example #AdventMeans #Hope. Please also send the image to us at adventmeans@farlingtonparish.co.uk so that we can share it on our parish Facebook and Twitter profiles too.

“We will use a selection of the images to create a #ChristmasMeans video to the hymn ‘Let there be love shared among us’ which has been recorded by some of our music group. That video will be posted to YouTube on Christmas Day and we will post the link on social media too.”

If you don’t have an email address or aren’t on social media, you can still take part. Please send your contributions to the Rev Paul Gully at the parish office, Church of the Resurrection, Penrhyn Avenue, Drayton, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO6 2AP.

To find out more about the project visit www.farlingtonparish.co.uk/adventmeans.