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When Amanda was a wee little girl, we used to use advent calendars..
I loved these once I learned of them the year we lived in Germany... I started out incorporating them into my Christmas preparations when I taught 3rd grade... then, once Amanda came along, it was a fun way to anticipate,
but as my faith grew, advent took on deeper meaning in my life and I spent time preparing the advent season through spiritual readings and activities.
Last year our family lit the advent candle at church on Christmas Eve!
Me The purpose of the Advent celebration is to
draw our gaze toward God’s promise of salvation – the Lord Jesus Christ. In His life, death and resurrection Christ
has brought us hope, peace, joy and love; wrought in our hearts through God’s
saving grace. As Christians, advent
helps us affirm that Christ has come, that He is now present in the hearts of
all believers and will come again in power.
The fifth candle of the Advent wreath is traditionally called the Christ
candle. The central location of the
candle reminds us that His incarnation is the central truth of the season. Christ has brought life and light to our
darkened world.
We rejoice
and worship Christ, our Savior and King!
“O, light of
the world, overcome the darkness of our lives with the light of your eternal
presence. You are our hope and our
salvation. By faith we welcome you into
our hearts. Amen”
5th Candle
of Advent - the Christ Candle
1.
Introduction Lynn
Please
introduce your family, including the names and ages of your children and how
long you have been a member at our church.
2. Explanation
of the Advent candle
ME:
The purpose of the Advent celebration is to
draw our gaze toward God’s promise of salvation – the Lord Jesus Christ. In His life, death and resurrection Christ
has brought us hope, peace, joy and love; wrought in our hearts through God’s
saving grace. As Christians, advent
helps us affirm that Christ has come, that He is now present in the hearts of
all believers and will come again in power.
The fifth candle of the Advent wreath is traditionally called the Christ
candle. The central location of the
candle reminds us that His incarnation is the central truth of the season. Christ has brought life and light to our
darkened world.
We rejoice
and worship Christ, our Savior and King! Candle
3.
Scripture John 1:1-5, 9-13 Amanda
In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without
him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in
the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light, which gives light to
everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was
made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did
not receive him. But to all who did
receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of
God, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will
of man, but of God.
Tonight, let us celebrate the salvation we
have been given in Christ.
4. Prayer Lynn
Ask the
congregation to join you in prayer…in your own words…thanking Him for this
special season and for the gracious salvation that we have received in
Christ…ending with:
“O, light of
the world, overcome the darkness of our lives with the light of your eternal
presence. You are our hope and our
salvation. By faith we welcome
you into our hearts. Amen”
Sadly, in the past few years, with my ailing parents, the time hasnt been available to do much at all in preparing for the birth child... today actually marks the one year anniversary of dad's passing... oddly, enough my mother so frail.... and so very frail, fell and broke her arm early Wedensday morning. It was probably the worst break one can have, splintered clean through from shoulder to elbow,and she isnt a candidate for surgery.... so the wrappings are very unstable and tenuous. her welfare and care even though in a nursing home, are tantamount to me now.
So in anticipation of the most wondrous season of the year, I am haphazardly just trying to get the important things done inbetween the madhouse of my hectic schedule. My husband is halfway through the project of painting this room in which I am sitting. a fresh icy blue, painted over a deep, deep teal that Amanda loved as a teenager... requires a second coat! Yes, I did say blue, ice blue, for our dearest lil Birdie...I love the ice blue for a sweet lil Princess! I envision a very sweet room for her someday, but alas, for now we have less than a week to get it finished and put back together. Meanwhile, every other room upstairs is topsy turvy with all the stuff from the painted room piled helter skelter here and there. Thankfully, downstairs is almost ready for Christmas... but nothing is wrapped, the larder is bare, with no real list for shopping ..... my mind is unable to think that far in advance. My kids will be here in 5 days (praise the Lord!)... and I pray that sometime between now and then a miracle will happen. That is all I can say at this time.
