Since we are celebrating Advent by being good neighbors and staying home this year, I encourage you to make your own Advent Wreath. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like. All you need are five candles and a plate. You can add greenery around the plate if you wish. The five candles can be traditional or battery-operated; they can be votives, pillars, or tapers, any size. Place four of them in a circle on the plate, and one in the center. The four surrounding candles represent the Advent themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. On Week 1, one candle is lit, and each subsequent week, another candle is added until on Week 4, all four are lit. The fifth candle in the center, called the Christ Candle, is lit on Christmas Eve.
You may wish to have your Advent Wreath close by in your sacred space or worship area when we gather together in worship each Sunday. As the candles in the Sanctuary are lit, you may join in by lighting your candles at home. After worship, you may find it lovely to sit and bask in the wonder, delight, and quiet of this reflective season of waiting. You could also do this after sundown, and think of the Light of the World coming through the darkness. Perhaps we could share our Advent Wreaths with one another during our Coffee and Fellowship time after worship.
Please note that while traditionally the candles are purple for Hope, Peace, and Love, and rose for Joy, and white for the Christ Candle, in this year of everything being non-traditional, feel free to use any candles that you already have at home. This is meant to bring you some calm, thoughtful inspiration during the season of Advent, not to add stress and burden to you.
~ With Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love
In the time of Advent During Coronavirus,
Rev. Stacy
