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Advent Wreath |
At its simplest, an Advent Wreath is a circle of evergreens with four candles along the outside and one (white) in the center. For people who want something beyond the basic, there are many websites, including YouTube videos, to help. Almost at random, I recommend this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cunOkJlLe4
From the Episcopal Book of Occasional Services, pages 18-19: “The Advent Wreath is a visual symbol marking the progress of the season of Advent, originating as a domestic devotion and an opportunity for family prayer. It functions as a simple countdown-timer for the passage of Advent…. When used in private homes, the Advent Wreath provides a focus for devotions at the time of the evening meal.”
During the first week, light a single candle. During the second, light two candles. During the third, light three candles. During the fourth, light (you guessed it!) four candles. Beginning on Christmas Eve and continuing for as long as you like through the Christmas season, light all five candles.
Particularly on the Sundays, consider saying a prayer before lighting the candle(s), and then reading and discussing a passage of Scripture. The prayers below come from the Church of England (https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/common-worship/churchs-year/times-and-seasons/advent#mmm18). I have included a more formal and a more accessible option for each week. The readings come from the Episcopal Book of Occasional Services.
Week 1 Prayer: Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, God of our ancestors: to you be praise and glory forever. You called the patriarchs to live by the light of faith and to journey in the hope of your promised fulfilment. May we be obedient to your call and be ready and watchful to receive your Christ, a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for you are our light and our salvation.
Blessed be God for ever.
or
God of Abraham and Sarah, and all the patriarchs of old, you are our Father too.
Your love is revealed to us in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of David. Help us in preparing to celebrate his birth to make our hearts ready for your Holy Spirit to make his home among us. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light who is coming into the world. Amen.
Reading: Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. (Matthew 24:42-44)
Week 2 Prayer: Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, just and true: to you be praise and glory forever. Of old you spoke by the mouth of your prophets,
but in our days you speak through your Son, whom you have appointed the heir of all things. Grant us, your people, to walk in his light, that we may be found ready and watching when he comes again in glory and judgement; for you are our light and our salvation. Blessed be God for ever.
or
God our Father, you spoke to the prophets of old of a Savior who would bring peace. You helped them to spread the joyful message of his coming kingdom.
Help us, as we prepare to celebrate his birth, to share with those around us
the good news of your power and love. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light who is coming into the world. Amen.
Reading: The word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” (Luke 3:2b-6)
Week 3 Prayer: Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, just and true: to you be praise and glory forever. Your prophet John the Baptist was witness to the truth as a burning and shining light. May we your servants rejoice in his light, and so be led to witness to him who is the Lord of our coming kingdom, Jesus our Savior and King of the ages. Blessed be God for ever.
or
God our Father, you gave to Zechariah and Elizabeth in their old age a son called John. He grew up strong in spirit, prepared the people for the coming of the Lord, and baptized them in the Jordan to wash away their sins. Help us, who have been baptized into Christ, to be ready to welcome him into our hearts, and to grow strong in faith by the power of the Spirit. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light who is coming into the world. Amen.
Reading: As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:15-16)
Week 4 Prayer: Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, merciful and gentle: to you be praise and glory forever. Your light has shone in our darkened world through the child-bearing of blessed Mary; grant that we who have seen your glory may daily be renewed in your image and prepared like her for the coming of your Son,
who is the Lord and Savior of all. Blessed be God for ever.
or
God our Father, the angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary that she was to be the mother of your Son. Though Mary was afraid, she responded to your call with joy. Help us, whom you call to serve you, to share like her in your great work
of bringing to our world your love and healing. We ask this through Jesus Christ,
the light who is coming into the world. Amen.
Reading: In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. (Luke 1:39-42)
Christmas Prayer: Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, King of peace: to you be praise and glory forever. The new light of your incarnate Word gives gladness in our sorrow, and a presence in our isolation. Fill our lives with your light, until they overflow with gladness and praise. Blessed be God for ever.
or
God our Father, today the Savior is born and those who live in darkness are seeing a great light. Help us, who greet the birth of Christ with joy, to live in the light of your Son and to share the good news of your love. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light who has come into the world. Amen.
Reading: This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about:…. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:18-23)
From the Episcopal Book of Occasional Services, pages 18-19: “The Advent Wreath is a visual symbol marking the progress of the season of Advent, originating as a domestic devotion and an opportunity for family prayer. It functions as a simple countdown-timer for the passage of Advent…. When used in private homes, the Advent Wreath provides a focus for devotions at the time of the evening meal.”
During the first week, light a single candle. During the second, light two candles. During the third, light three candles. During the fourth, light (you guessed it!) four candles. Beginning on Christmas Eve and continuing for as long as you like through the Christmas season, light all five candles.
Particularly on the Sundays, consider saying a prayer before lighting the candle(s), and then reading and discussing a passage of Scripture. The prayers below come from the Church of England (https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/worship-texts-and-resources/common-worship/churchs-year/times-and-seasons/advent#mmm18). I have included a more formal and a more accessible option for each week. The readings come from the Episcopal Book of Occasional Services.
Week 1 Prayer: Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, God of our ancestors: to you be praise and glory forever. You called the patriarchs to live by the light of faith and to journey in the hope of your promised fulfilment. May we be obedient to your call and be ready and watchful to receive your Christ, a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for you are our light and our salvation.
Blessed be God for ever.
or
God of Abraham and Sarah, and all the patriarchs of old, you are our Father too.
Your love is revealed to us in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of David. Help us in preparing to celebrate his birth to make our hearts ready for your Holy Spirit to make his home among us. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light who is coming into the world. Amen.
Reading: Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. (Matthew 24:42-44)
Week 2 Prayer: Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, just and true: to you be praise and glory forever. Of old you spoke by the mouth of your prophets,
but in our days you speak through your Son, whom you have appointed the heir of all things. Grant us, your people, to walk in his light, that we may be found ready and watching when he comes again in glory and judgement; for you are our light and our salvation. Blessed be God for ever.
or
God our Father, you spoke to the prophets of old of a Savior who would bring peace. You helped them to spread the joyful message of his coming kingdom.
Help us, as we prepare to celebrate his birth, to share with those around us
the good news of your power and love. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light who is coming into the world. Amen.
Reading: The word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” (Luke 3:2b-6)
Week 3 Prayer: Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, just and true: to you be praise and glory forever. Your prophet John the Baptist was witness to the truth as a burning and shining light. May we your servants rejoice in his light, and so be led to witness to him who is the Lord of our coming kingdom, Jesus our Savior and King of the ages. Blessed be God for ever.
or
God our Father, you gave to Zechariah and Elizabeth in their old age a son called John. He grew up strong in spirit, prepared the people for the coming of the Lord, and baptized them in the Jordan to wash away their sins. Help us, who have been baptized into Christ, to be ready to welcome him into our hearts, and to grow strong in faith by the power of the Spirit. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light who is coming into the world. Amen.
Reading: As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:15-16)
Week 4 Prayer: Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, merciful and gentle: to you be praise and glory forever. Your light has shone in our darkened world through the child-bearing of blessed Mary; grant that we who have seen your glory may daily be renewed in your image and prepared like her for the coming of your Son,
who is the Lord and Savior of all. Blessed be God for ever.
or
God our Father, the angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary that she was to be the mother of your Son. Though Mary was afraid, she responded to your call with joy. Help us, whom you call to serve you, to share like her in your great work
of bringing to our world your love and healing. We ask this through Jesus Christ,
the light who is coming into the world. Amen.
Reading: In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. (Luke 1:39-42)
Christmas Prayer: Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, King of peace: to you be praise and glory forever. The new light of your incarnate Word gives gladness in our sorrow, and a presence in our isolation. Fill our lives with your light, until they overflow with gladness and praise. Blessed be God for ever.
or
God our Father, today the Savior is born and those who live in darkness are seeing a great light. Help us, who greet the birth of Christ with joy, to live in the light of your Son and to share the good news of your love. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the light who has come into the world. Amen.
Reading: This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about:…. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:18-23)
