Advent comes from the Latin word “adventus” which means coming. During Advent we celebrate the two comings of Christ: Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and His promised return in final victory.

In churches and homes, several symbols appear:

Advent Wreath: evergreen branches in a circle, a sign of eternal life

Four purple candles: Royal blue or purple signifies the royalty of Christ. In the ancient world these colors were the finest and most expensive; today these colors invite us to offer Christ our very best.

White Christ Candle: The central candle in the Advent wreath is white, signifying the purity of Christ who is the Light of the World. We light it on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Christ.

It is possible to journey through Advent only thinking about the gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. The Christian Church has viewed Advent with a very similar understanding to Lent. They are historically periods of prayer, fasting, and reflection that invite us to walk more closely with God. They are both seasons to prepare our hearts to receive Christ anew, celebrating the gift of His birth at Christmas and the gift of His life, death, and resurrection at Easter.

The themes of Advent are the gifts for those who walk the journey through Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Our sermon series A Charlie Brown Christmas will lift up each theme, exploring how the Peanuts characters give us a glimpse of the hope, peace, joy, and love that is ours through Jesus, The Christ.

This Sunday Charlie Brown points us toward hope. Please read Isaiah 2:1-5 to prepare your heart for worship. Ask a friend to worship with you; Advent and Christmas are great times to invite someone to join you.

I am looking forward to this Advent journey with you!

Peace,

Pastor Cathy Johns