Advent is a Latin word meaning “coming” or “arrival.” While it is a penitential season (season of sorrow for our sins and hope in God’s forgiveness and mercy) in preparation for Christmas, it is not as solemn as Lent. We celebrate three “comings” of Jesus:
…long ago in poverty (Christ’s birth)
…today in hope (in Word and Sacraments)
…tomorrow in power (Christ’s return at the end of time)
On the first Sunday in Advent, we say: HAPPY NEW YEAR! On this Sunday we begin a new church year—another year to remember, celebrate, and share the story of Jesus, the same story we told last year and all the years before that, but with now one important difference: Salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. (Romans 13:11)
Advent calls us to prepare for the Savior’s coming. It is also a time to call out to others to prepare with us.
O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in—be born in us today.
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!
~Phillips Brooks~
Happy New Year! COME, LORD JESUS!
SYMBOLS
Advent calendars
Calendars count the days of Advent in December until Christmas. Opening the windows of an Advent calendar gives us a daily reminder of where our eternal hope lies—in the holy Child in the manger, come for us.
Advent colors
See candle colors below
Advent wreaths
The usual circle of candles represents our hope in the Light of the World—the Light that the powers of darkness cannot overcome. The circle represents eternity; Jesus was at the beginning of the world, He is with us now in our lives, and He will be with us in heaven. The green of the wreath symbolizes life, especially new life for us in Jesus. It is customary to have a white candle in the centre of the Advent Wreath; this candle represents Christ and is lit on Christmas Day.
Candles
Candles are used for a variety of reasons:
…Jesus is the Light of the world, who overcomes darkness
…Lighting candles each week marks our Advent journey to the Christ Child
…We can be lights for Jesus in our world, telling of His three “comings”
The candles can be kept lit until Epiphany, which is the celebration of Christ as our Light—our King—being revealed to us; light is used to reveal
Candle colors:
· Purple (or blue, nowadays) is for repentance
· Pink is the Sunday of joy—the 3rd Sunday in Advent; the lesson usually read is Mary’s Magnificat (“My spirit rejoices in God my Savior”)
· White is Christmas: the purity of God as He comes as the Christ Child (sometimes this is gold—heaven coming
down to earth)
Candle symbolism:
· One series is Hope, Peace, Joy, Love (each Sunday in Advent having a “theme”), and Christ Candle (white)
· Another series: Prophecy Candle; John the Baptist Candle or Bethlehem Candle; Shepherd’s Candle; Angels’
Candle
Often in England, churches have four red candles and one white one. The four traditional advent themes for the four advent Sundays are:
The Candle of Hope - God's people
The Candle of Peace - The old testament prophets
The Candle of Love - John the Baptist
The Candle of Joy (a pink candle) - Mary the mother of Jesus
The Last Candle (the fifth candle) - the Birth of Christ
Advent is a Latin word meaning “coming” or “arrival.” While it is a penitential season (season of sorrow for our sins and hope in God’s forgiveness and mercy) in preparation for Christmas, it is not as solemn as Lent. We celebrate three “comings” of Jesus:
…long ago in poverty (Christ’s birth)
…today in hope (in Word and Sacraments)
…tomorrow in power (Christ’s return at the end of time)
On the first Sunday in Advent, we say: HAPPY NEW YEAR! On this Sunday we begin a new church year—another year to remember, celebrate, and share the story of Jesus, the same story we told last year and all the years before that, but with now one important difference: Salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. (Romans 13:11)
Advent calls us to prepare for the Savior’s coming. It is also a time to call out to others to prepare with us.
O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in—be born in us today.
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!
~Phillips Brooks~
Happy New Year! COME, LORD JESUS!
SYMBOLS
Advent calendars
Calendars count the days of Advent in December until Christmas. Opening the windows of an Advent calendar gives us a daily reminder of where our eternal hope lies—in the holy Child in the manger, come for us.
Advent colors
See candle colors below
Advent wreaths
The usual circle of candles represents our hope in the Light of the World—the Light that the powers of darkness cannot overcome. The circle represents eternity; Jesus was at the beginning of the world, He is with us now in our lives, and He will be with us in heaven. The green of the wreath symbolizes life, especially new life for us in Jesus. It is customary to have a white candle in the centre of the Advent Wreath; this candle represents Christ and is lit on Christmas Day.
Candles
Candles are used for a variety of reasons:
…Jesus is the Light of the world, who overcomes darkness
…Lighting candles each week marks our Advent journey to the Christ Child
…We can be lights for Jesus in our world, telling of His three “comings”
The candles can be kept lit until Epiphany, which is the celebration of Christ as our Light—our King—being revealed to us; light is used to reveal
Candle colors:
· Purple (or blue, nowadays) is for repentance
· Pink is the Sunday of joy—the 3rd Sunday in Advent; the lesson usually read is Mary’s Magnificat (“My spirit rejoices in God my Savior”)
· White is Christmas: the purity of God as He comes as the Christ Child (sometimes this is gold—heaven coming
down to earth)
Candle symbolism:
· One series is Hope, Peace, Joy, Love (each Sunday in Advent having a “theme”), and Christ Candle (white)
· Another series: Prophecy Candle; John the Baptist Candle or Bethlehem Candle; Shepherd’s Candle; Angels’
Candle
Often in England, churches have four red candles and one white one. The four traditional advent themes for the four advent Sundays are:
The Candle of Hope - God's people
The Candle of Peace - The old testament prophets
The Candle of Love - John the Baptist
The Candle of Joy (a pink candle) - Mary the mother of Jesus
The Last Candle (the fifth candle) - the Birth of Christ