ADVENT
Advent is a time of preparation, it gives us time to remember why Christmas is so important to us and to get ready for that special day.
As well as all the preparations at home, the church prepares us by making the four weeks of Advent different from the rest of the year. Look out for some of these things happening at St Peter’s:
We have an Advent Ring, with 4 candles circled around a central candle. On the first Sunday 1 candle will be lit, on the second 2 candles. Gradually, the light from the candles gets brighter until all 4 candles and the central Christ Light is lit on Christmas Day and we rejoice in Jesus, Light of the World.
The colours in the church will change, look at the vestments that Andrew, Paul or Barbara are wearing (the coloured bits over their white robe) They’ll only be wearing purple in Advent and during Lent, the colours remind us that these are times of preparing for important events, Christmas and Easter. Where else in the church can you see purple being used? On Christmas Day Andrew, Paul and Barbara be wearing a completely different colour, can you guess what it will be?
Listen to the words of some of the hymns that we’ll be singing. They sometimes use words from the oldest parts of the Bible when Prophets told us that Jesus would be born, thousands of years before he was!
Here is an Advent Prayer:
Let not our souls be busy inns that have no room for you and yours, but quiet homes of prayer and praise where you may find fit company; where the needful cares of life are wisely ordered and put away; and wide sweet spaces kept for you, where holy thoughts pass up and down, and fervent longings watch and wait your coming. Amen.
