First Sunday of Advent
Each year we light candles in advent as a way of marking the weeks before Christmas.
In the northern hemisphere, as we progress through advent
the nights get longer, and the days get shorter.
Each week our advent candles shed more light.
This pandemic year, instead of having candles only at the front of the church,
we will light candles in our homes together:
the many flames uniting us as a worshipping community,
waiting together for Jesus.
Today we mark the first Sunday of Advent,
and today we light the candle of hope.
Advent is the season of hope.
We hope for a Saviour who can save us,
a Healer who can heal us,
and a Counsellor who hears all our sorrows.
In darkness that deepens,
we wait for the coming of the light of the world.
We wait in hope as we light this candle of hope. [light the candle]
Second Advent:
Today we mark the second Sunday of Advent,
and today we light the candle of peace.
Advent is the season of peace.
We long for a Saviour who is our Prince of Peace,
who blesses our warring world, meeting our brokenness
with a peace that passes understanding.
In darkness that deepens,
we wait for the coming of the light of the world.
We wait in peace as we light this candle of peace. [light the candle]
Third Advent
Today we mark the third Sunday of Advent,
and today we light the candle of joy!
Advent is the season of joy! We hope for Immanuel, God with us,
who knows us more than we know ourselves,
and brings us life abundant and everlasting joy.
In darkness that deepens,
we wait for the coming of the light of the world.
We wait in joy as we light this candle of joy. [light the candle]
Fourth Advent
Today we mark the fourth Sunday of Advent,
and today we light the candle of love.
Advent is the season of love. We long for love, fresh and newborn,
a Messiah who will tell us of God’s love
that will not let us go.
In darkness that deepens,
we wait for the coming of the light of the world.
We wait in love as we light this candle of love. [light the candle]
Christmas Day
Today we mark Christmas Day, the birth-day of Jesus,
and today we light the Christ-candle!
Advent is completed, and we enter the Christmas season,
rejoicing in a newborn Saviour!
Jesus is our hope realized,
our peace fulfilled,
our joy complete,
God’s love overflowing.
We light the Christ-candle,
giving thanks with all the angels in heaven
for the Christmas gift
of Jesus Christ our Lord. [light the candle]
I am a Mennonite pastor currently teaching theology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve served congregations in Ontario and most recently, Alberta.