Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on Christmas Eve (Dec 24). If Christmas Eve is a Sunday, it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent, with Christmas Eve proper beginning at sundown. Adventus is the Latin word for "coming". The focus of Advent is two-fold. On the one hand, we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world as both God and man so that our sins might be forgiven. On the other hand, we anticipate the day when Jesus will return to Earth and bring an end to this world. While many families and churches recognize and celebrate Advent, for some others it is a lost tradition. How do you celebrate the Advent Season? Click here learn more about the Advent wreath and other Advent traditions.

Check out this recent article from Fast Company on being an inspirational leader through the lens of emotional intelligence, your EQ factor.

Last week we made mention of The Nativity Story, a new movie that will be releasing this Friday, December 1st. For details and reviews on the movie, click here, or click here for Time magazine's take on the film.

Check out this insightful blog entry (scroll down the page to find the article) from Dave Ferguson, Senior Pastor at Community Christian Church in Naperville, IL, who writes on the steps to creating a healthy leadership culture. Look for an upcoming Catalyst podcast interview with Dave in December. Stay tuned for more from Dave.

The Rev. Joel Hunter said he quit as president-elect of the group founded by evangelist Pat Robertson because he realized he would be unable to broaden the organization's agenda beyond opposing abortion and gay marriage. He hoped to include issues such as easing poverty and saving the environment. To read more on this article, click here.