Suggested Bible passages

First Week Third Week

Sunday Matthew 25:1-13 Sunday Isaiah 9:6-7
Monday Isaiah 1:16-18 Monday Isaiah 7:10-14
Tuesday Isaiah 60:1-3 Tuesday Isaiah 11:1-6
Wednesday Psalm 43: 3-5 Wednesday Isaiah 40:10-11
Thursday Isaiah 58:6-9 Thursday Isaiah 52:7
Friday 1 John 2:8-11 Friday Jeremiah 33:14-16
Saturday 1 John 3:1-2 Saturday Malachi 3:1-2

Second Week Fourth Week

Sunday Isaiah 40:1-5 Sunday John 3:16-21
Monday Revelation 1:7-8 Monday Luke 1:1-25
Tuesday Matthew 22:41-45 Tuesday Luke 1:26-38
Wednesday Hosea 11:3-4 Wednesday Luke 1:39-56
Thursday Psalm 130 Thursday Luke 1:57-66
Friday Micah 6:6-8 Friday Luke 1:67-80
Saturday Jeremiah 14:8-9 Dec. 24 Matthew 1:18-25

Celebrating
Advent
Concerning the Service

A purple candle is lit the first night and all of the first week. During
the second week, an additional purple candle is lit. During the third
week, the rose candle is also lit, and on the fourth week, all four of
the colored candles are lit. The central white candle is lit on Christ-
mas Eve and Christmas Day.

Families may divide the responsibilities for leading the service,

lighting the candles, and reading scripture so that everyone may have
in the Home
a turn as they are able. An individual will want to omit the portions
of the brief service which call for a response, while following the
outline for the remainder of the service.

This service follows An Order of Worship for the Evening found on page
109 of the Book of Common Prayer. Additional materials © 1999 Frank
Logue ([email protected]).
 Advent Wreath Service Leader: The Lord bless us and keep us. Amen.
The Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious to us. Amen.
The family gathers around the wreath (which is not yet lit). The Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace. Amen.

Leader: Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Leader: Let us bless the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God. People: Thanks be to God.
Leader: Let us pray.
Use the appropriate prayer from the following page Put out the candle or candles

The candle or candles may now be lit Prayer for the first week of Advent
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and
O Gracious Light Phos hilaron (said together) put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in
O gracious Light, which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal;
Now as we come to the setting of the sun, through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
and our eyes behold the vesper light, God, now and for ever. Amen.
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, Prayer for the second week of Advent
O Son of God, O Giver of life, Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach
and to be glorified through all the worlds. repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to
heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy
Scripture Reading
the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with
(Suggested passages for the day are on the back of this booklet.)
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
After the reading
Reader : The Word of the Lord Prayer for the third week of Advent
All: Thanks be to God Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us;
and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful
The Peace grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ
Leader: The peace of the Lord be with you our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and
All: And also with you glory, now and for ever. Amen.
All may exchange the peace
Prayer for the fourth week of Advent
Prayer
Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that
Leader: The Lord be with you
your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion
All: And also with you
prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of
Leader: Let us pray
the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
All pray The Lord’s Prayer
 Jesse Tree Symbols Advent
The following list gives 25 suggestions for symbols to use in decorat- Christmas has increasingly become a holiday cut off from its
ing a Jesse Tree along with the scripture references for the symbol. purpose of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. It is, therefore,
These 25 symbols would allow a new ornament to be added to the important for Christians to recapture the season of Advent as a time
tree each day in December leading up to Christmas. for preparing for Christmas. An Advent wreath service takes only a
few minutes each night, yet it can become a wonderful time to center
Person Symbol Scripture Passage oneself or the whole family with a nightly remembrance of Christ’s
Adam Male Figure Genesis 2:7 Incarnation and promised return. It is a time to celebrate God’s
Eve Female Figure Genesis 2:21-23 promise to always be with us.
Noah Rainbow Genesis 9:11-17 Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning “com-
Abraham Tree Genesis 18:1 ing.” Advent begins the church year, starting four Sundays before
Sarah Tent Genesis 18:9-14 Christmas. The season of Advent has been set aside as a time of
Isaac Ram Genesis 22:13-14 preparation for Christmas since at least the last half of the 6th cen-
Rebekah Camel Genesis 24:63-67 tury. Advent is a time for self-examination and asking for forgiveness
Jacob Ladder Genesis 28:10-17 as the church is preparing for Christ’s Second Coming even as it
Rachel Shepherd’s Crook Genesis 29:9-12 prepares for Christmas. This is why the color of the season is purple
Joseph Colorful Coat Genesis 37:3 (or sometimes blue), which is used for marking Lent, the season of
Moses Burning Bush Exodus 3:1-6 self-examination preceding Easter. The third week in Advent is set
Miriam Music Notes Exodus 15:20-21 aside as more celebratory than the others. Rose is the color of this
Deborah Palm Tree Judges 4:4-5 week rather than purple to mark the week, which is why a rose candle
Samuel Lamp 1 Samuel 3:1-3 is used in Advent wreaths.
Ruth Straw Ruth 2:1-9
Jesse
David
Branch
Harp
Isaiah 11:1
1 Samuel 16:17-18
An Advent Calendar
Solomon Columns 1 Kings 5:2-5 Another way to mark the days in Advent is to use an Advent calendar.
Hezekiah Tablets of the Law 2 Kings 18:1-6 These calendars usually have a door to open each night to reveal a
Josiah Book 2 Kings 23:1-3 picture or an object (such as a small toy or candy). The days of
Isaiah Throne Isaiah 6:1 Advent vary each year, so store-bought Advent calendars usually have
Elizabeth Dove Luke 1:39-45 24 doors, one for each day in December leading up to Christmas.
John the Baptist River Matthew 3:1-6 Opening an Advent calendar may follow the Advent Wreath service
Mary Angel Luke 1:26-35 to more closely tie the service itself to the countdown of days.
Jesus Manger Luke 2:1-7
 A Nativity Scene
A nativity scene (sometimes called a crèche), is yet another way to
highlight the season of Advent. Instead of putting out the whole set
at once, try building the scene slowly. Begin with the manger the first
week. Add a few animals the second week. Then add Mary and
Joseph on the third week. On Christmas Eve add the baby Jesus and
any additional figures. The wise men and camels don’t arrive until
Epiphany (January 6). This increases the feeling of anticipation that is
Advent.

A Jesse Tree
The Advent Wreath The 11th chapter of Isaiah describes the ideal king in the line of
The circle of the wreath and the evergreens that make it up both Israel’s great king, David. The first verse of that chapter says,
signify God’s endless mercy and undying love. Three purple candles
and one rose-colored (pink) candle are evenly spaced around the A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
wreath. There is one larger white candle in the center of the wreath. and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The wreath can be as simple as four candle holders with greenery laid
around them to form a circle. However, some traditions attach Jesse was King David’s father. The image of a branch growing out of
meanings to using different greens, each signifying another aspect of the roots of Jesse points to a new king in David’s line. Christians
the season. These include: know that this is fulfilled in Jesus, the King of Kings, who is a de-
scendent of Jesse. One tradition is to decorate a tree branch with
Ivy—to remind us of the human spirit clinging to God’s strength. symbols that remember other important persons from the Old
Cedar—to remind us of eternal life available to all through Christ. Testament. The symbols on the “Jesse Tree” remind us that our belief
Holly—to remind us of Jesus’ crown of thorns. grows out of deep roots of thousands of years of ancestors in the
Bay—to remind us of victory over sin and death. faith.
One way to create a Jesse Tree is to place a suitable tree
Each week, an additional candle is lit. As the light grows brighter, we
branch in a large tin can (such as a coffee can) and anchor it with
are reminded that the Light of the World will soon arrive in glory.
rocks. Then create the symbols on construction paper. Punch a hole
The central white candle is to be larger (often thicker) than the four
in the paper ornament with a hole punch. Then attach the ornament
in the wreath. This relatively recent addition to the Advent wreath
to the tree branch with yarn. Creating a Jesse Tree can be connected
signifies the Light of Christ and is first lit on Christmas Eve and relit
to an Advent wreath service by adding a new ornament each evening
burned on Christmas Day.
at the time of the service.
Symbols for the Jesse Tree draw from images in the Old
Testament. Possible symbols and their scripture references are on the
following page.