Advent Candle Lighting Liturgy 2019
December 1, 2019 – First Sunday of Advent, PEACE
Reader One: Our Advent journey begins with rules of the road. We are on the way to
where God would have us be, and we’re not there yet. But how shall we go? We shall go
together, as one body, living and trusting in one another. We shall go as this community of
faith, working side by side, and leaning into the grace of God every step of the way. We shall
go in peace.
Reader Two: Isaiah says that in days to come, the nations shall stream to the mountain of
the Lord, and there we will beat swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks;
there, we will learn war no more. God will teach us peace.
Reader One: We light this first candle to burn as sign of peace among all people.
(Light one candle on the wreath.)
Reader Two: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that God may teach us the
ways of peace.
Congregation: Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
December 8, 2019 – Second Sunday of Advent, HOPE
Reader One: Every journey faces the unknown. And anxiety can sometimes overwhelm us.
There is too much to do; our lists are long; our calendars are filled up; we worry that
something will go wrong, or we won’t end up in the right place or take the right route.
Getting lost is a real possibility on a journey. And yet. We claim hope for the journey,
because we follow the one who will travel with us and sustain us on the way.
Reader Two: Isaiah says that there is one who is to come who will be the fulfillment of all
our hope. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on this one, the spirit of wisdom and
understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the
Lord. We place our hope in this one.
Reader One: We light the candles of peace and of hope to give us strength for the journey.
(Light two candles on the wreath.)
Reader Two: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that God may teach us the
ways of peace and hope.
Congregation: Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
December 15, 2019 – Third Sunday of Advent, JOY
Rico: Sometimes on our journey, our feet get heavy, our shoulders feel burdened, and our
hearts seem slow. Sometimes in the preparation, the busyness overwhelms us, and we get
lost in the doing and the planning and the running. And what we lose is a sense of why.
Why do we do all of this? Why is this journey necessary? And the answer is simple: for the
joy of it. We forget the joy when we get caught up in the to-do lists. We forget the joy when
we worry more about how things look than connecting with others.
Annalisa: Matthew tells us that when John asked if Jesus was the one to come, Jesus
responded by saying look around you. Our call in this Advent journey is to look around us
to see the one who comes already at work among us and to celebrate that presence with
joy.
Rica: We light the candles of peace and hope and joy to light our way as we journey.
(Light two purple candles and pink candle on the wreath.)
Renzo/Rylan: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that God may teach us the
ways of peace and hope and joy.
Congregation: Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
December 22, 2019 – Fourth Sunday of Advent, TRUST
Reader One: One thing we have learned on our Advent journey is that it is better not to go
alone. We live in a do-it-yourself culture that celebrates the individual. But faith is not
something that we can do on our own. We need companions on the journey; we need
others to support us and strengthen us and encourage us. We put our journey in the hands
of many people around us; and although it is a risk, we are better for it. We learn to trust
that someone has our back, as we make this journey of faith.
Reader Two: Matthew reminds us that when God chose to come to earth the first time, God
chose to trust in people to help make it happen. God trusted in Mary, and God trusted in
Joseph. In turn, we trust in God to be faithful to the promise and to sustain us through many
others as we continue our journey of faith.
Reader One: We light the candles of peace, hope, joy, and trust, as our circle is complete.
(Light four candles on the wreath.)
Reader Two: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that God may teach us the
ways of peace, hope, joy, and trust.
Congregation: Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
Christmas Day
Reader 1: Rejoice, people of God! The light has come into the world.
(A member of a family lights the four Advent candles.)
O God, now we light the candle of your nativity!
(With all Advent candles lit, a member of the family lights the center white Christ candle.)
Reader 2: With the company of heaven and with sounds of great joy, you come to us. This
is the time of light and resplendent joy.
God has been born among us. We remember...(a member or members of a family describe a
time, at Christmas or some other time, when God has been joyfully and powerfully revealed
to family, church, community, or world).
Reader 1: The prophet Isaiah proclaimed a time when those who walked in the shadows
would see a great light. A light would shine and a child would be born to us. The evangelist
Luke painted the nativity sky and repeated the heavenly song of the angels, "Glory, peace
on earth and goodwill!" John declared that this great light is Christ, the Word made flesh.
This great light lives among us. By it we behold God's glory—full of grace and truth. At
Christ's nativity, we now rejoice.
People: God, our Life and Light, thank you for coming this day to us. Thanks for touching all
heaven and earth with your splendor. In every corner of the world, shine with your peace.
In every corner of our hearts, shine with your grace. Amen.
