How to Plan Advent Services

Advent takes place on the 4 Sundays before Christmas Day and is the beginning of the church year for most western churches. Advent typically starts on the Sunday nearest to American Thanksgiving and ends on Christmas Eve. There are various ways to observe Advent traditions as a congregation.

Instructions

1. Begin Advent by "the hanging of the green" and the placing of the Advent Wreath in the church. Evergreen wreaths and bows placed throughout the church symbolize new and everlasting life brought through Jesus Christ. Do this as a part of your first Advent Service or just before.

2. Plan the service of Nine Lessons and Carols. This festival began in 1880 and tells the stories of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah and the birth of Jesus through Bible readings, Christmas carols and hymns. This can take place on any Sunday during Advent but is traditionally held on Christmas Eve.

3. Light the Advent Candles on each of the corresponding Sundays throughout the Advent season. This can be done at the beginning of the morning worship service and should go in this order: the candle of hope or prophecy, the candle of expectation, the candle of joy and the shepherd's candle. The pink candle is always the candle of joy, but the others can be adapted to different parts of the Christmas story.

4. Read a Bible verse and prayer associated with each candle.

5. Sing a Christmas carol that reflects the message of each Bible verse.

6. Light the center candle on Christmas Eve or Day depending on when your church has a service. The center candle is the Christ Candle and is always white. This center candle represents Christ's incarnation as the center of the Christmas season.

Tips & Warnings

• Any of the Advent traditions can be adapted to the tastes and personality of your congregation. Celebrating Advent is an ancient tradition that is still meaningful for today's churches.