These liturgies for lighting the Advent candles were designed to accompany the “Before the Manger” series. The numbered pieces of the liturgy may be split as desired among readers.
Week One: Hope
A. Waiting is hard and holy work. We light the Advent candles to mark the waiting time as holy—time devoted to watching for Christ. While we wait, we build up for ourselves the treasures of Christ—hope, peace, joy, and love.
We begin with hope. (light candle #1)
B. Why do we call this candle the candle of hope?
C. We call this candle the candle of hope because its light reminds us of the hope we have in God’s promises even in the darkness. Our hope is in the Lord, who made heaven and earth, and who has promised to be faithful to us every moment of our lives. We also have hope that in Christ God will make all things new, and bring joy, peace, and love to all. Let us hear the promises of the prophet Isaiah.
D. In the days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house
will be the highest of the mountains.
It will be lifted above the hills;
peoples will stream to it.
Many nations will go and say,
“Come, let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain,
to the house of Jacob’s God
so that he may teach us his ways
and we may walk in God’s paths.”
E. May those who feel hopeless take strength from the light of this candle. May those who are full of hope shine with its light.
F. Now let us lift our voices to God together:
Song | We Wait and We Work (to the tune of “Away In a Manger”)
Look at this one candle we have lit today –
the glow of God’s hope to drive all gloom away!
We wait and we work for our Savior to come,
when hope shall be fulfilled for everyone.
Week Two: Peace
A. Waiting is hard and holy work. We light the Advent candles to mark the waiting time as holy—time devoted to watching for Christ. While we wait, we build up for ourselves the treasures of Christ—hope, peace, joy, and love.
We begin with hope. (light candle #1) We continue with peace. (light candle #2)
B. Why do we call this candle the candle of peace?
C. We call this candle the candle of peace because it reminds us of the peace Christ promises us, peace that passes all understanding. We remember the wholeness of God’s shalom, which touches every part of our lives with healing. We believe in God’s power to bring peace between people and within people. Let us hear promises of the prophet Isaiah.
D. “The wolf will live with the lamb,
and the leopard will lie down with the young goat;
the calf and the young lion will feed together,
and a little child will lead them.
The cow and the bear will graze.
Their young will lie down together,
and a lion will eat straw like an ox.
A nursing child will play over the snake’s hole;
toddlers will reach right over the serpent’s den.
They won’t harm or destroy anywhere on my holy mountain.
The earth will surely be filled with the knowledge of the Lord,
just as the water covers the sea.”
E. May those who feel anxious take strength from the light of this candle. May those who are at peace shine with its light.
F. Now let us lift our voices to God together:
Song | We Wait and We Work (to the tune of “Away In a Manger”)
Look at the two candles we have lit today –
the glow of God’s peace to drive all fear away!
We wait and we work for our Savior to come,
when peace shall be fulfilled for everyone.
Week Three: Joy
A. Waiting is hard and holy work. We light the Advent candles to mark the waiting time as holy—time devoted to watching for Christ. While we wait, we build up for ourselves the treasures of Christ—hope, peace, joy, and love.
We begin with hope. (light candle #1) We continue with peace. (light candle #2) And now we add joy. (light the pink candle #3)
B. Why do we call this candle the candle of joy?
C. We call this candle the candle of joy because it reminds us of the joy of our life in Christ, joy that can be found even in the darkest place. We remember the joy you took in creation, when you made each thing and proclaimed it good, and we remember the joy you brought to Mary and Joseph, who delighted to watch you grow. We give thanks for your gifts of laughter and gladness, and new life in unexpected settings. Let us hear the promises of the prophet Isaiah.
D. “The desert and the dry land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom like the crocus.
They will burst into bloom,
and rejoice with joy and singing.
They will receive the glory of Lebanon,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the Lord’s glory,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the weak hands,
and support the unsteady knees.
Say to those who are panicking:
“Be strong! Don’t fear!
Here is your God.”
E. May those who feel sorrow take strength from the light of this candle. May those who are full of joy shine with its light.
F. Now let us lift our voices to God together:
Song | We Wait and We Work (to the tune of “Away In a Manger”)
Look at the three candles we have lit today –
the glow of God’s joy to drive sorrow away!
We wait and we work for our Savior to come,
when joy shall be fulfilled for everyone.
Week Four: Love
A. Waiting is hard and holy work. We light the Advent candles to mark the waiting time as holy—time devoted to watching for Christ. While we wait, we build up for ourselves the treasures of Christ—hope, peace, joy, and love.
We begin with hope. (light candle #1) We continue with peace. (light candle #2) We add joy. (light the pink candle #3) And now love. (light candle #4)
B. Why do we call this candle the candle of love?
C. We call this candle the candle of love because it reminds us of God’s great love for us. We remember that God so loved the world that he sent Jesus, God’s only begotten son, into the world, not to condemn us, but to save us. We take joy in the love God has surrounded us with—the love of family and friends and neighbors—the love that flows through all our days. We give thanks that God is Love. Let us hear the promises of the prophet Isaiah.
D. “A shoot will grow up from the stump of Jesse;
a branch will sprout from his roots.
The Lord’s spirit will rest upon him,
a spirit of wisdom and understanding,
a spirit of planning and strength,
a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.
Righteousness will be the belt around his hips,
and faithfulness the belt around his waist.”
E. May those who feel unwanted take strength from the light of this candle. May those who are full of love shine with its light.
F. Now let us lift our voices to God together:
Song | We Wait and We Work (to the tune of “Away In a Manger”)
Look at the four candles we have lit today –
the glow of God’s love to drive mistrust away!
We wait and we work for our Savior to come,
when love shall be fulfilled for everyone.
Christmas Eve: Christ
A. Waiting is hard and holy work. We light the Advent candles to mark the waiting time as holy—time devoted to watching for Christ. But tonight, the promise is fulfilled. Christ is born!
(Light the four outside candles.) Tonight, we remember the gifts of Christ—hope, peace, joy, and love. And now, at last, we light the Christ candle (light white center candle).
B. Why do we call this candle the Christ candle?
C. We call this candle the Christ candle because it reminds us that Christ is the light of the world, that no darkness can overcome. We give thanks for the baby in the manger at Bethlehem; we give thanks for the twelve-year-old learning in the temple; we give thanks for the rabbi teaching from the hillside and healing in the cities; we give thanks for the man carrying the cross; we give thanks for the savior waiting in the garden beside an empty tomb. And we give thanks too, for the Christ with us, the Christ we know; peace we have felt in our hearts, love we have shared with others, a call to follow, courage for the road ahead. Tonight we light Christ’s candle in defiance of the darkness, and believe he is among us now, as God-with-us, Emmanuel.
Let us hear the promises of scripture from the prophet Isaiah:
D. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.
For a child has been born for us, a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
E. May those who walk in darkness see the light of these candles, and take heart: Christ is with us!
F. Now let us lift our voices to God together:
Song | We Wait and We Work (to the tune of “Away In a Manger”)
Look at the five candles we have lit this night –
the glow of Christ’s presence to make all things right!
With joy and with gladness we now sing our praise,
and dwell in Christ’s goodness for all of our days.
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