W.O.W

  (Words On Worship)

 

     What is Advent?

 

Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches in the Western tradition, including our United Methodist Church!  It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30, and ends on Christmas Eve.  If Christmas Eve is a Sunday, it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent, with Christmas Eve proper beginning at sundown. 

The word Advent means "coming" or "arrival".  The focus of the entire 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.  Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year old event in history.  It is celebrating a truth about God, the revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled to God.  Therefore, the entire Advent season is marked by a spirit of expectation, anticipation, preparation, and longing.

The Advent Wreath is an increasingly popular symbol of the beginning of the Church year in many churches as well as homes.  It is a circular evergreen wreath (real or artificial) with five candles, four around the wreath and one in the center.  Since the wreath is symbolic and a vehicle to tell the Christmas story, there are various ways to understand the symbolism.  The exact meaning given to the various aspects of the wreath is not as important as the story to which it invites us to listen, and participate.

Part of our tradition in this church during Advent is the use of an Advent Wreath & readings.  Each week a different set of participants light a candle, while an Advent reading is done.  The next week, that candle is lit again along with another candle for all the Sundays of Advent.  The circle of the wreath reminds us of God Himself, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end.  The green of the wreath speaks of the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life.

Candles symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His son.  The four outer candles represent the period of waiting during the four Sundays of Advent, which themselves symbolize the four centuries of waiting between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ.  One of the candles being Pink, symbolizes the Joy of the impending Nativity of Jesus.  The center candle is white and is called the Christ Candle.  It is lit at all of our Christmas Eve services (after all the others are lit).  The central location of the Christ Candle reminds us that the incarnation is the heart of the season, giving light to the world!

Another part of our Advent tradition, is having an open Hymn Sing before each of our services during Advent.  Although we do not often sing “Christmas hymns” (talking about AFTER the birth of Christ) during our Advent Worship services, we do enjoy them before worship as the congregation chooses their favorites of the season to sing a few verses together.

You can celebrate Advent in your home, as well, by using an Advent Wreath or (more commonly) an Advent Calendar.  There are a wide variety of Advent calendars, but usually they are simply a card or poster with windows that can be opened, one each day of Advent, to reveal some symbol or picture associated with the Old Testament story leading up to the birth of Jesus.  It is a great way to keep children involved in the entire season.

So, all in all, Advent is a time of preparation and celebration…. In our church, our home, and our hearts!

 

(If you would like to submit a question for W.O.W., please drop it off in written form in the Worship mailbox (located in Fellowship Hall) or e-mail Sherrie Orcholski, Lay Leader, at polocks@hotmail.com).