Advent Tradition
Jessie Bible sent in this Christmas memory:
One thing that stands out to me about my family's Christmas celebrations growing up is our weekly Advent service. Each Sunday of Advent, we would sit in our kitchen and have a time of family worship. We lit a candle for each week of Advent and read from the Bible, and other devotional materials and sang Christmas carols.
The kitchen was in complete darkness except for the candles that were lit. The way our Advent wreath worked, the heat from the candles turned a circle of angels and rang bells above the candles. So as each week passed and the birth of the Messiah was closer, the angels would move faster and the bells would ring louder to signal his coming. And when we were done with readings and singing, we would sit in the near darkness, look at the candles and think about the coming of the Light of the World.
Since I am part of a "lower church" liturgical tradition now, I do miss more overt celebrations of Advent. But starting last Sunday, I am lighting candles in my own Advent wreath at home, continuing this tradition.
One thing that stands out to me about my family's Christmas celebrations growing up is our weekly Advent service. Each Sunday of Advent, we would sit in our kitchen and have a time of family worship. We lit a candle for each week of Advent and read from the Bible, and other devotional materials and sang Christmas carols.
The kitchen was in complete darkness except for the candles that were lit. The way our Advent wreath worked, the heat from the candles turned a circle of angels and rang bells above the candles. So as each week passed and the birth of the Messiah was closer, the angels would move faster and the bells would ring louder to signal his coming. And when we were done with readings and singing, we would sit in the near darkness, look at the candles and think about the coming of the Light of the World.
Since I am part of a "lower church" liturgical tradition now, I do miss more overt celebrations of Advent. But starting last Sunday, I am lighting candles in my own Advent wreath at home, continuing this tradition.
posted by M Clark at 11/30/2005 12:11:00 PM
2 Comments:
Jessie: Thanks for this memory, I too grew up with a more robust liturgical tradition and we too try to keep advent in our home with both an advent wreath and an advent calander. I pray that my children will have memories like yours when they are grown and on their own.
I miss the symbols and sense of preperation and appretiation that they and the corporate/congregational practices of observing Advent and Lent/Holy Week always gave me for Christmas and Easter. And hope that in some way I can share the meaning they had/have for me with my family and others, thanks for doing just that with your post.
Several years ago, the pastor of my mother's church lost his home after lighting advent candles on a Sunday morning then going to church... no one was hurt, but they unkowingly lost all of their earthly possesions while he preached. Celebrate Advent, but don't forget to blow out the candles!
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