Evangelicals practicing Advent

This USA Today article describes a trend I had already noticed in the circles I've passed through in recent years: Evangelical Protestants are becoming more inclined to adapt traditional Advent observances for their own churches. This is, I believe, a part of a larger trend (in many places here and there - it is certainly not some universal or unstoppable tide) of the attempted recovery of catholicity among Evangelicals and Protestants.

What impact this will have on my own United Methodist Church - which contains both catholic and evangelical elements, but doesn't always know what to do with them - I can't say. But I do offer this prayer from our tradition to anyone who can use it:

Merciful God, you sent your messangers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation. Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may celebrate aright the commemoration of the nativity, and may await with joy the coming in glory of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God for ever and ever. Amen.
United Methodist Hymnal, 201 - adapted from The Book of Common Prayer p. 211