From the Associate for Liturgy and Music: Advent traditions in an untraditional time

From the Associate for Liturgy and Music: Advent traditions in an untraditional time

From the Associate for Liturgy and Music: Advent traditions in an untraditional time

# News

From the Associate for Liturgy and Music: Advent traditions in an untraditional time

While many of us have Advent traditions we observe at home with families, or by ourselves, for others, family Advent worship may be missing. Now, in this time of COVID lockdowns, it seems these ways of worshipping from home are even more important. I think we all need spiritual nourishment during dark times when it seems like we, like the prophets and spiritual foreparents of old, are waiting and longing for the dawn of a new day.

During Advent at St. Columba's, we're not able to light the Advent wreath together in church. But we will be featuring videos each week of families lighting advent candle from home each morning during our 10 a.m. (note the time change) livestream worship service. If you have advent candles, or an advent wreath, you can light it from home along with us. 

Other families of all sizes and types might want to light advent candles in the evening. If you do, and you don't have a tradition for doing that in your house, or you are looking for something different from before - these are different times, after all -  the BCP can help! There is a short, meaningful liturgy for doing a home candle-lighting any evening - in Advent or any time of the year starting on p. 109.

No BCP at home? You can find it by going to https://www.bcponline.org, and clicking on "Daily Office" in the left column, and going to An Order of Worship for the Evening. There, you'll find a short liturgy for evening prayer that includes candle lighting. 

You can use the prayers there, or you can pray one of the collects that we've written here at St. Columba's for Advent. (See below.) I know Elaine also has sent out many Advent resources for families to use - and these traditions, routines, and rituals are more important than maybe they ever have been for us.

However you pray during Advent, I hope you will pray! I hope as you keep Advent, you find in it a blessed time of quiet, watching, and looking for the coming of Jesus - in all the ways our Savior arrives now, and will come again at the end of the age.

Martin

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Advent I

Lord Jesus Christ, you told all to keep awake as we wait for the day you will come in the clouds with great power and glory. We light the first candle of Advent to remember that change comes to all things. O come, o come, Emmanuel, and awaken us to make this world ready for the change we are expecting. 

Advent II

Our Lord Jesus Christ, you called John the Baptist to tell the world about the new way that is coming. We light the second candle of Advent to remember the call of prophets in the time of your earthly life and today to follow the Way that leads to you. O come, o come, Emmanuel, and give us a soul that responds with prophetic action to the call we are expecting.

Advent III

Almighty God, you sent your Archangel Gabriel to Mary to announce a message of joy. We light the third candle of Advent to rejoice in the good news of your Son, Jesus Christ.  May we, with Blessed Mary, rejoice in you, our Savior. Give us a voice for justice, like hers, to tell those high and low about the joy we are expecting.

Advent IV

Lord Jesus Christ, in becoming one of us you have named all things sacred. We light the fourth candle of Advent to remember that this earth and all people in it are holy. O Come, o come Emmanuel, and bless our bodies with your presence, that the world we see with our eyes and make with our hands may be reborn completely and forever in a holiness we are expecting.


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