ADVENT Today marks the first Sunday of Advent. We celebrate Advent to keep us rooted and grounded in the real meaning of the season, as its message can be easily lost in over-commercialism and the Christmas hustle. The word Advent means “coming” or “arrival”. The focus of the season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent. We celebrate a truth about God – the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to him. In this double-focus on past and future, Advent also symbolizes our congregational and personal spiritual journey as we affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power. THE COLORS OF ADVENT Each Sunday morning during our 9:30a.m., worship service, we will light a different candle. The progression in the lighting of the candles symbolizes the light of God coming into the world through the birth of his Son and the various aspects of our waiting experience. The three purple candles represent hope, peace, and love, and the pink candle represents joy. The outer candles represent the 400 years of waiting between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ. The flame of each new candle reminds us that something is happening and that more is yet to come. Finally, the light that has come into the world is plainly visible as the center: The Christ candle is lighted on the 4th Sunday in December. This white candle reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world that comes into the darkness of our lives to bring newness, life, and hope. It also reminds us that we are called to be a light to the world as we reflect the light of God’s grace to others. The circle of the wreath beneath the candles reminds us of God’s endless mercy, which has no beginning or end. The green of the wreath speaks of the hope, renewal, and the eternal life that we have in him. Each week we will have a special moment in worship that accompanies the lighting of each candle as we reflect and rejoice over what God has done through Christ in us and for us.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 10:46:49 +0000
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