Wreath rite with epistles: A

From the Silence

Europe 2008

Advent Candle Lighting Readings, Year A, using epistles

Advent 1

Let us worship God.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.                     _{Psalm 124:8}The first Advent candle reminds us that we have been walking around in the dark.
Now we open the door to God’s light.
We have been so caught up in the things of this world
    that we have forgotten the way of salvation.
Now we open the door to God’s light.
    Now we must wake up and change our ways.
There is no time to waste!
There is no time to be petty, greedy, wasteful, or self-centered.
    We light this candle and begin to live into God’s plan.         [light the first candle]
Now we open the door to God’s light.
    Now we must wake up and change our ways.
        Now we must put on Christ.         _{based on Romans 13:11-14}

Advent 2

Let us worship God.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.                     _{Psalm 124:8}The second Advent candle reminds us that we need to turn around our lives.
Now we open the door to God’s life.
There is new growth where there was just a stump,
            and that can give hope to all people.
Now we open the door to God’s life.
Now we must welcome one another into glory as Christ welcomes us.
Christ is coming and changing everything!
Christ is coming to fulfill all God’s promises!
We light this candle and see how God changes everything. [light the second candle]
Now we open the door to God’s life.
Now we must welcome one another into glory as Christ welcomes us.
Now God will fill us with joy, hope, and peace.         _{based on Romans 15:4-13}

Advent 3

Let us worship God.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.                     _{Psalm 124:8}The third Advent candle reminds us of joyful expectation.
Now we open the door to God’s new order.
Christ is coming to set everything right.
Now we open the door to God’s new order.
Now we must be patient and stand firm.
We need to stop grumbling and complaining.
We need to look around and see what God is doing.
We light this candle, rejoicing in God’s growing redemption.           [light the third candle]
Now we open the door to God’s new order.
Now we must be patient and stand firm.
Now we can stand with God’s prophets who never gave up.                               _{based on James 5:7-10}

Advent 4

Let us worship God
Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.                _{Psalm 124:8}The fourth Advent candle reminds us how God works with outcasts & mysteries.
Now we open the door to God’s Good News.
We are just ourselves, mortal and flawed,
    and God makes us vessels for Good News.
Now we open the door to God’s Good News.
Now we find God sharing Good News through us.
The Good News is that, out of all we have gotten wrong before,
    God gives us the One who makes everything right.
The Good News is that we get to share grace and new life with the world
    because we belong to Jesus.
We light this candle to welcome Jesus,
    whose name means, “God saves.”                                                                                      [light the fourth candle]
Now we open the door to God’s Good News.
Now we find God sharing Good News through us.
Now we become part of the mystery and the mission.                                          _{based on Romans 1:1-7}