Advent
Candle Liturgy Option A
Advent Candle Liturgy – Week 1
(December 1, 2002) – Hope
Reader 1:
Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the season when we prepare for
the coming of Jesus. Each Sunday we will light a candle to remind us
of what it means to prepare for Christmas.
Reader 2:
This year as we light our candles we will be thinking about
hospitality, what do we do to when we are having a visitor in our
homes. This week we light the candle of welcoming and greeting.
This candle reminds us that we need to welcome God into our lives.
(Light a purple candle)
Reader 1:
As we welcome and invite a visitor in we also need to have hope. We
hope that our time together will help us to grow together in
friendship and love.
Reader 1:
Let us pray together as printed in the bulletin…
God
of Advent, you enter our lives in many ways and many places. During
this Advent season open our hearts to be welcoming and ready to greet
all we meet. Help us to be ready and able to receive and to
recognize You in the many ways You are revealed. We pray in the name
of the one whose coming we await, Christ our Saviour. Amen
Advent Candle Liturgy – Week 2 (December 8, 2002) – Peace
Reader 1:
Today is the second Sunday of Advent, the season when we prepare for
the coming of Jesus. Each Sunday we light a candle to remind us of
what it means to prepare for Christmas. Last week we lit the candle
of welcoming. (re-light the first candle)
Reader 2:
Once we have welcomed someone into our homes we often offer them a
seat and something to eat or drink. We make sure that they are
comfortable. This week we light the candle of attending and
honouring. This candle reminds us of our need to attend and honour
the times and ways that God is in our lives. (Light a purple candle)
Reader 1:
When we honour each other and attend to each other’s need then we
are working to bring God’s peace to reality in this world. Let us
pray together as printed in the bulletin…
God
of Advent, You have called us together to be peacemakers. During
this Advent season help us to be attentive to one another. Be with
us to comfort us and allow us to bring comfort to others. Let our
hearts be filled with your peace as we flatten the rough places and
straighten the curved paths in our lives and community. We pray in
the name of the one whose coming we await, Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Advent Candle Liturgy – Week 3 (December 15, 2002) – Joy
Reader 1:
Today is the third Sunday of Advent, the season when we prepare for
the coming of Jesus. Each Sunday we light a candle to remind us of
what it means to prepare for Christmas. Last week we lit the candles
of welcoming and attending. (re-light the first two candles)
Reader 2:
Today we light a candle to remind us to play and sing together.
Hospitality does mean attending to the needs of our guests but it
also means that we need to rejoice and celebrate together. (Light
the pink candle)
Reader 1:
When we play and sing together we are allowing ourselves to share the
joy of life. In that spirit of joy let us pray together as printed
in the bulletin…
God
of Advent, You have given us a playful spirit and You call us to
enjoy life. Grant that during this Advent and Christmas season we
will find many, many reasons to rejoice and play. Help us to
remember that life is not always a serious thing. Awaken the
awe-struck , innocent child within all of us. We pray in the name of
the one whose coming we await, Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Advent Candle Liturgy – Week 4 (December 22, 2002) – Love
Reader 1:
Today is the last Sunday of Advent, the season when we prepare for
the coming of Jesus. Each Sunday we have lighted candles to remind
us of what it means to prepare for Christmas. So far our candles
have reminded us to welcome others, to attend to their needs and to
play and rejoice with them. (Re-light the first three candles)
Reader 2:
Today we light the fourth candle of our Advent wreath. This candle
reminds us of the blessing we get when we eat together. It also
reminds us that in order to eat together someone needs to prepare and
serve the meal. (Light the last candle)
Reader 1:
It has been shown many times that to prepare a special meal for
someone is a sign of love, love that is strengthened by eating that
meal together. Remembering that love, let us pray together as
printed in the bulletin…
God
of Advent, in love you have called us together, in love you give us
the gifts of food and fellowship. We thank you for these gifts and
ask that during this Christmas season we would be able to share meals
with our family and friends in that spirit of love. Grant that,
having experienced your love in our own lives, we will be able to
share that love with all we meet. We pray in the name of the one
whose coming we await, Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Advent Candle Liturgy – Christmas Eve
Reader 1:
The time has come. After all our preparations Christmas is finally
here. For the last four Sundays we have lighted candles to remind us
of what it means to prepare for Christmas. These candles have
reminded us to welcome others, to attend to their needs, to play and
rejoice with them, and to join together in a shared meal. (Re-light
the first four candles)
Reader 2:
Tonight we light the last candle of our Advent wreath. This candle
reminds us of the blessing we get from exchanging gifts with each
other. As we light this candle we remember the gift that lies at the
centre of our Christmas celebration. The gift of a baby lying in a
manger. (Light the centre candle)
Reader 1:
Let us pray together as printed in the bulletin…
God
of Christmas, you come to us in so many surprising ways. On this
Christmas Eve we ask you to come into our hearts, our homes, our
lives. On this night we remember that you came not in glory but in a
lowly stable; as a weak, helpless child. Lead us to find You in
equally surprising places. Help us to remember to look for You and
forgive us when we don’t recognize Your presence among us. We pray
in the name of the one whose birth we celebrate, Christ our Saviour.
Amen.
Advent
Candle Liturgy Option B
Advent Candle Liturgy – Week 1
(December 1, 2002) – Creation
Reader 1: Today is the first Sunday of Advent,
the season when we prepare for the coming of Jesus. Each Sunday we
will light a candle to remind us of some of God’s wonderful gifts
as we prepare for Christmas.
Reader 2:
Today we light a candle to remind us of God’s gift of creation.
This gift is the one we can see all around us all the time. (Light a
purple candle)
Reader 1:
Creation is a gift given to us that we often forget. Let us remember
that we need to treat this gift carefully.
Reader 2:
Let us pray together as printed in the bulletin…
God
of Advent, we remember your wonderful gift of Creation. We give
thanks for the gift of light that started Creation. We pray that we
would be able to keep that light shining strongly always. Help us to
live respectfully with all that you have created. We pray in the
name of the one whose coming we await, Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Advent Candle Liturgy – Week 2 (December 8, 2002) – Exodus
Reader 1:
Today is the second Sunday of Advent, the season when we prepare for
the coming of Jesus. Each Sunday we light a candle to remind us of
some of God’s wonderful gifts as we prepare for Christmas. Last
week we lit the candle of Creation. (re-light the first purple
candle)
Reader 2:
Today we light a candle to remind us of the gift of the Exodus. This
candle reminds us that God wants all of us to be free from captivity.
(Light a purple candle)
Reader 1: The Exodus wasn’t only a gift to the
ancient Hebrews, it is also a gift to us and to those around us. As
the candlelight shines, let us always remember to share God’s
freedom with others.
Reader 2:
Let us pray together as printed in the bulletin…
God
of Advent, we remember your wonderful gift of freedom. Just as you
led the people of Israel out of bondage we ask that you would lead us
into the land of promise. Remind us that we are free, that nothing
can bind us or hold us back. Help us to share the light of freedom
with everyone around us. We pray in the name of the one whose coming
we await, Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Advent Candle Liturgy – Week 3 (December 15, 2002) – Prophets
Reader 1:
Today is the third Sunday of Advent, the season when we prepare for
the coming of Jesus. Each Sunday we light a candle to remind us of
some of God’s wonderful gifts as we prepare for Christmas. Last
week we lit the candles of Creation and Exodus. (re-light the first
two purple candles)
Reader 2:
Today we light a candle to remind us of the Prophets. This gift from
God helps us to understand how best to live in God’s way. (Light
the last purple candle)
Reader 1:
God sends prophets to remind people what is right and wrong. This
candle reminds us that we are all prophets in our own way when we
remind others how God wants us to live
Reader 2:
Let us pray together as printed in the bulletin…
God
of Advent, we remember your wonderful gift of Prophets and
truth-tellers. In times when we have wandered off of the path we
thank you for sending people to put us back on track. Help all of us
to remember the importance of prophecy, of teaching each other to
live in God’s way. Make us all both listener and prophet. We pray
in the name of the one whose coming we await, Christ our Saviour.
Amen.
Advent Candle Liturgy – Week 4 (December 22, 2002) – Mary
Reader 1:
Today is the last Sunday of Advent, the season when we prepare for
the coming of Jesus. Each Sunday we have lighted candles to remind
us of some of God’s wonderful gifts as we prepare for Christmas.
So far our candles have reminded us about Creation, the Exodus and
the Prophets (Re-light the three purple candles)
Reader 2:
Today we light the fourth candle of our Advent wreath. This candle
reminds us of God’s gift to Mary. This gift was the strength to
give birth to a child under a cloud of suspicion and still sing for
joy. (Light the pink candle)
Reader 1:
Mary felt alone and afraid but God was with her. God gave her the
strength to sing about her baby. This candle helps us to remember
that God is with us when we are afraid, helping us to sing too.
Reader 2:
Let us pray together as printed in the bulletin…
God
of Advent, we remember your wonderful gifts to Mary. Thank you for
her bravery and strength. Help all of us to be as strong as Mary
when we are afraid. Give all of us the ability to share your Good
News with the people around us. We pray in the name of the one whose
coming we await, Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Advent Candle Liturgy – Christmas Eve
Reader 1:
The time has come. After all our preparations Christmas is finally
here. For the last four Sundays we have lighted candles to remind us
of some of God’s wonderful gifts as we prepare for Christmas.
These have been the candles of Creation, the Exodus, the Prophets,
and Mary (Re-light the first four candles)
Reader 2:
Tonight we light the last candle of our Advent wreath. This candle
reminds us of the mighty act that was that first Christmas gift. As
we light this candle we remember the gift that lies at the centre of
our Christmas celebration. The gift of a baby lying in a manger.
(Light the centre candle)
Reader 1: Let us pray together as printed in the
bulletin…
God
of Christmas, we remember your wonderful gift of Christmas. We
praise the gift of a baby, a Saviour. On this Christmas Eve we ask
you to come into our hearts, our homes, our lives. On this night we
remember that you came not in glory but in a lowly stable; as a weak,
helpless child. Lead us to find You in equally surprising places.
We pray in the name of the one whose birth we celebrate, Christ our
Saviour. Amen.
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