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Advent Candle Liturgy (Author: Jeanyne Slettom)

This liturgy, which includes candle lighting and benediction/commission and blessing, was written to reflect a process-relational theology.

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Candle liturgy

Leader: The Gospel of John speaks of Christ as the true light coming into the world. In commemoration of that coming, we light candles for the four weeks leading to Christmas and reflect on the coming of Christ.  It is significant that the church has always used that language—the coming of Christ—because it speaks to a deep truth. Christ is coming. Christ is always coming, always entering a troubled world, a wounded heart. And so we light the first candle, the candle of hope, and dare to express our longing for peace, for healing, and the well-being of all creation.

{First candle is lit. Sing one verse of "O Come, O come Emmanuel"}

Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel, 
And ransom captive Israel, 
That mourns in lonely exile here 
Until the Son of God appear. 
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to you, O Israel!

All: Loving God, as we enter this Advent season, 
we open all the dark places in our lives and memories to the healing light of Christ.
Show us the creative power of hope.
Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you,
That we may walk in the light of Christ.

{Blessing}

Leader: Let’s take time, in the busyness of this season, for quiet reflection.
For the light of God’s love is discernible everywhere.  
All: We will let ourselves be surprised by wonder,
And set aside time to offer quiet thanks.
Leader: The good news of Advent is this:
Christ is coming. Christ is always coming.
All: We will welcome Christ into our hearts.
We will let ourselves be guided by his ministry.
We will worship and receive his hope.

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Candle liturgy

Leader: Last Sunday we lit the first candle—the candle of hope. Today we light the second candle—the candle of love. With this flame we signify the love of God that surrounds and fills us at all times, but that we recognize in a special way in the Christmas story. There is no greater power than love. It is stronger than rulers and empires, stronger than grief or despair, stronger even than death. We love, because God loves us.

(Two candles are lit. Sing one verse of "O Come, O come Emmanuel")

Oh, come, Thou Wisdom from on high, 
And order all things far and nigh; 
To us the path of knowledge show, 
and cause us in her ways to go. 
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to you, O Israel!

All: Loving God, we open ourselves to you this Christmas season.
As these candles are lit, light our lives with your imagination.
Show us the creative power of hope.
Magnify your love within us.
Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you,
That we may walk in the light of Christ. Amen.

{Blessing}

Leader: Worship in peace, and take hold of the certain knowledge
That God is always coming into the world. 
All: We will seek God, not in a long ago stable or ancient manger,
But in the people we meet and the depths of our own hearts.
Leader: May the blessing of Christmas make you a blessing to others;
May the peace of the season pervade all that you do.
All: We will welcome the challenge of discipleship.
We will offer ourselves as God’s ministers.
We will be your instruments of hope and love.

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Candle liturgy

Leader: We have lit the first two candles, one for hope and one for love. Today we light the third candle, the candle of joy. This should be the easy one, because joy is all around us—in the children, the lights, the 
music, the gathering together. But how often do we let our preparations—or our memories—push joy to the side? Joy is like an underground spring that wells up within us, but joy is also a choice, an attitude. Like a muscle, it needs to be exercised. So today we open ourselves to joy, trusting that God has already planted it in us. All we need to do is give it care and offer it to share.

{Three candles are lit. Sing one verse of "O Come, O come Emmanuel"}

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer 
Our spirits by Thine advent here; 
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, 
And death's dark shadows put to flight. 
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to you, O Israel!

All: Loving God, we open ourselves to you, 
trusting that this is how you made us: 
you created us for joy-filled hearts and lives.
Show us the creative power of hope.
Magnify your love within us.
Fill us with the kind of joy that cannot be contained, but must be shared.
Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you,
That we may walk in the light of Christ. Amen.

{Blessing}

Leader: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
For God has created you with the capacity for joy.
All: We will find what makes us joyful,
And make that our gift to the world.
Leader: Trust in God’s good will for all of creation
and open yourself to God’s gentle, transforming love.  
All: We will welcome new possibilities in our lives.
We will offer ourselves to God’s goodness.
We will embrace the depths of your hope, love, and joy.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Candle liturgy

Leader: We have lit three candles—for hope, for love, and for joy. Today we light the fourth candle, the candle of peace. We light it knowing full well that peace is elusive, and in some parts of the world, it is almost completely absent. Yet in this season of Advent, we trust that God is never absent from us. God is always preparing something new. And even where there is war and discord, whether between countries, within families, or within our own hearts, God is present, gently leading us to new possibilities.

{Four candles are lit. Sing one verse of "O Come, O come Emmanuel"}

Oh, come, Desire of Nations, bind 
All peoples in one heart and mind; 
Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease; 
Fill the whole world with heaven’s peace. 
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 
Shall come to you, O Israel!

All: Loving God, in this time of preparation and planning, 
We thank you for the hope and peace you unfailingly offer us. 
Show us the creative power of hope.
Magnify your love within us.
Fill us with the kind of joy that cannot be contained, but must be shared.

Teach us the peace that comes from justice. 
Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you,
That we may walk in the light of Christ.

{Blessing}

Leader: Take your encouragement from Christ, 
that your joy may be complete.
All: We will share in the Spirit;
We will find consolation in love.
Leader: Practice a ministry of humility and compassion
For God is at work in you, empowering you
All: We will welcome Christ into our hearts.
We will live lives worthy of the Gospel. 
We will celebrate our lives in hope, love, joy, and peace.

Attached is 2016 Advent Summary, Passages and Schedule