Advent & Christmas

Join us for worship during Advent!

Sundays: 11/30, 12/7, 12/14, 12/21
12/24: Lessons and Carols at 6:00pm


"Throughout its history, the church has observed Advent as a preparation not only for the first coming of Christ in his incarnation but also for his second coming at the last day. It’s also about a third coming: the coming of Christ to meet us in our present moment, to make us holy by his Word and Sacrament."

— Tish Harrison Warren

Advent

The word Advent comes from a Latin word meaning arrival. In the weeks before Christmas, Christians anticipate Jesus’ first advent as a baby in Bethlehem as well as his second advent at the end of history.

Advent begins in the dark.

In our time and place, Advent is a countercultural challenge to the consumerism that marks the end of our calendar year. While the world emphasizes non-stop shopping, partying, and “holiday cheer,” the church emphasizes self-reflection, longing, and patient expectation.

The liturgical color during Advent is purple. Purple is the color of royalty, but it also symbolizes penitence: Advent is a penitential season in which we prepare for the coming King by reflecting on our need for Him, turning from our sin and darkness, and making our hearts ready to receive Him.

We will see the color purple in church again during Lent, the other major penitential season in the church. So even at Advent as we anticipate Christ’s birth, we are reminded of Jesus’ suffering and death. The common colors of Lent and Advent help us to understand that our King wears a crown of thorns, that his path to the throne is the way of the Cross.

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Christmastide

In the church, fasting always gives way to feasting. After Advent’s concerted focus on penitence and preparation, we celebrate Christmas for twelve full days. “Christmastide” starts on Christmas Day and continues until the evening before Epiphany (January 5). 

The liturgical color of Christmas is white. This illustrates  the brightness of God’s glory, which at Christmas we see in his Incarnation. White reappears during every major feast day and season in the church, the longest of which is Easter.

During Christmastide, we read the biblical accounts of Jesus’ birth and childhood in Nazareth as well as of the challenges he and his family faced in light of Herod’s jealousy of Israel’s “newborn king.”

Christmas culminates with the Feast of Epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the Magi and the revelation of Jesus Christ as not only the King of Israel, but as the King of all kings. During Epiphany, the celebration continues as we receive Jesus’ promise to draw all nations to Himself.

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