For another advent candle liturgy, check out Chloe Axford’s Advent Candle Walking Liturgy on
EngageWorship.org.
They write: This
simple interactive Advent candle liturgy involves the whole congregation and
uses the whole church. It offers an alternative take on the traditional
lighting of the Advent crown on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas.
Here’s the first part of the liturgy. To see the rest, visit
EngageWorship.org. You’ll need to register to see the whole
thing, but it’s free…and you're guaranteed to come across lots of other great resources on that site!
First Sunday of Advent:
HOPE
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope
we profess,
for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
The lighting of a candle on the first Sunday of Advent is
traditionally associated with the hope that Jesus’ birth brings.
Give the congregation paper and pens and ask them to write
their own prayers of hope – for themselves, people they know, their local area,
world situations etc. When they have
written them, invite the whole congregation over to the ‘Hope’ candle and light
it, saying the following prayer:
Jesus, who brings hope into
hopeless situations, we thank you for your heavenly rescue mission, which we
remember at Christmas. We light this
candle as a reminder of the hope that you bring.
We offer up our prayers of hope,
knowing that you care deeply about each and every one of these situations.
Amen.
Now invite the congregation to place their prayers around
the candle – the idea is that the candle and prayers will remain there
throughout Advent (with the candle being re-lit each Sunday before the
service).
~ written by Chloe Axford, and posted on EngageWorship.org. Visit their site for many other great
worship resources.
