ADVENTA Guideline For Pastors

Here is a suggested guide on how to use the Advent Videos and in what order to play them. There are six videos in this series, to be shown over a five week period leading up to Christmas Day.

The Introduction video would be used prior to the first week of Advent as a way to educate your congregation about Advent, its practice, traditions, and meanings.

The five main Liturgy videos would be used each Advent week/service to help introduce, go along with, or take the place of a traditional candle lighting Advent observance.__________________________________________________________________

Three of the five Liturgy videos use the symbol of the Purple candle. While we provide a recommended order for their usage, these can also be interchangeable in weeks 1, 2 and 4 of the Advent season.

The Pink Candle (or The Joy Candle) is traditionally used on the third week.

The White Candle (or The Christ Candle) is traditionally used during a Christmas Eve service.__________________________________________________________________

For more information about Advent, we recommend the following resources written by Mark D. Roberts:

“Discovering Advent” E-Bookat amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com

Web Links:www.patheos.com/blogs/markdroberts/series/introduction-to-advent/

www.patheos.com/blogs/markdroberts/series/advent-devotional-guide-preparing-for-the-coming-of-christ/

Other writings and resources by Mark D. Roberts can also be found at: www.thehighcalling.org

THE INTRODUCTORY VIDEO

ADVENT: INTRODUCTIONo This serves as an Advent primer for those unfamiliar with the tradition.

This can be used the week before Advent begins.o At least 5 Sundays before Christmas Eve.

THE LITURGY VIDEOS

THE HOPE CANDLE (Purple)o Recommended for Week 1 of Advent.o 4 Sundays before Christmas Eve.

THE PREPARATION CANDLE (Purple)o Recommended for Week 2 of Advent.o 3 Sundays before Christmas Eve

THE JOY CANDLE (Pink)o Traditionally used Week 3 of Advent.o 2 Sundays before Christmas Eve

THE LOVE CANDLE (Purple)o Recommended for Week 4 of Advent.o The Sunday before Christmas Eve

THE CHRIST CANDLE (White)o Traditionally used during the Christmas Eve serviceo Also considered optional; most but not all Advent observances use the

White candle.

The remaining pages of this PDF are the specific Liturgies seen in each video, verbatim. We recommend printing these out and inserting the corresponding liturgy into your bulletins each week, or provide them elsewhere in your sanctuary for people to access. This will help each member of your congregation to not only engage more with the text of each liturgy, but then also enable people to take the Liturgies home to continue to pray over and contemplate them throughout each week of the Advent season.

THE HOPE CANDLEWaiting For The Shepherd

BLESSINGOh God, we have strayed

from the path of righteousness.

We rejoice, remembering the promiseof Your Son, our Shepherd.

CONTEMPLATION“…and they will all have one shepherd.”

- Ezekiel 37:24

Holy Spirit,prepare our hearts

for the coming Christ,

that we may anticipateHis arrival,

The ShepherdWho will guide us.

SCRIPTURE“…like a shepherd,

He gathers the lambs in His armsand carries them close to His heart.”

- Isaiah 40:11

PRAYERDear Lord, we wait for Your coming

as our Good Shepherd.

Please gather us in your arms,feed us with spiritual food,and wipe away every tear

from our eyes.

David’s Psalm is our cry:“Hear us, Shepherd of Israel…

let your face shine on us,that we may be saved!”

Come, our Shepherd!

Amen.

ADVENT

THE PREPARATION CANDLEWaiting For Forgiveness

BLESSINGOh God, we need a saviour who will

forgive us our transgressions

Speak to us prophetically so thatwe may grasp the seriousness of our sin.

CONTEMPLATION“He was pierced for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities…

“…the punishment that brought peacewas upon Him…”

- Isaiah 53:5

Dear God, we recognize our sin,and our need for a Saviour.

We long to be purified

Prepare us for Your coming

The Saviour who will redeem us.

SCRIPTURE“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,

“when I will make a new covenant…

“…for I will forgive their wickednessand will remember their sins no more.”

- Jeremiah 31:31 & 34

PRAYERDear God, remove from us

the awful stain of our transgressions

restore to usthe joy of Your salvation

David’s Psalm is our cry:“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits…

He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.”

Come, our Saviour!

Amen

ADVENT

THE JOY CANDLEWaiting With Expectation

BLESSINGCenturies ago, Christ came to us as a child

So too we anticipate Christ’s coming again as King of Kings

Oh God, we rejoice! Your arrival draws near.

CONTEMPLATION“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;

then we shall see face to face…”

“Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,even as I am fully known.”

- 1 Corinthians 13:12

Dear God, create in us a beautiful paradox

The joy of finding You while still pursuing You

The joy of having You yet always wanting You

SCRIPTURE“Everlasting joy will crown their gladness and joy will overtake them…

…and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”- Isaiah 35:10

PRAYERLike Your prophet Zephaniah, we rejoice in Your soon coming

To take away our punishment and gather the exiles.

We rejoice in Your Second Coming,

when You return for Your bride to bring her home

SCRIPTURE“…He will appear a second time, not to bear sin,

but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.”- Hebrews 9:28

David’s Psalm is our cry:“In Your presence is fullness of joy,

at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”

We Wait for You, Rejoicing!

Amen

ADVENT

THE LOVE CANDLEWaiting For The Son

BLESSINGHeavenly Father,You first loved us

By promising a Child,born of a virgin

Who would be an atoning sacrificefor our sins

CONTEMPLATION“And the government shall be on His shoulders,

and He will be called Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

- Isaiah 9:6

Oh God,You have fulfilled Your promise

We rejoicein Your faithfulness

Give us courage to respondwith Love and Compassion

SCRIPTURE“The virgin will be with child

and will give birth to a son and they will call himImmanuel – which means, “God with us.”

- Matthew 1:23

PRAYEROh God, we look forward with eagerness

to the birth of a Child

Prepare us to welcome Himwith open arms and open hearts

David’s Psalm is our cry:“Lift up your heads, O you gates;be lifted up, you ancient doors,

that the King of glory may come in.”

O Come Now, Son of David!

Amen

ADVENT

THE CHRIST CANDLEThe Lord Has Come

BLESSINGGenerous God, You have prepared us

to receive Your giftof love and joy, of hope and healing

For unto us a Child is born,for unto us a Son is given

CONTEMPLATION“The Word became flesh

and made His dwelling among us.We have seen His glory…The One and Only,

Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”- John 1:14

Gracious God, You have given new lifewith the presence of Immanuel,

God with us

God’s Son has come into the world,and He will come again in glory

SCRIPTURE“Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings

of great joy, which shall be to all people.For unto you is born this day in the city of David,

a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”- Luke 2:10-11

PRAYERYou came to us and became like us,

to redeem us

Oh Lord, make our joy complete,so that Your work will be made complete

in us, and in the earth

David’s Psalm is our cry:“Let the heavens rejoice,

and the earth be glad before the Lord:for He cometh!”

O Come, Let Us Adore Him!

Amen

ADVENT