Advent Wreath 2018
“Silent Night, Holy Night” was first performed on 12/24 1818 at St. Nicholas church of Oberndorf. It was performed by Franz Xaver Gruber (composed tune) and Joseph Mohr (wrote lyrics). That means that the hymn celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2018!! To commemorate this anniversary, here is an Advent Wreath lighting liturgy for all four Sundays in Advent and for Christmas Eve.
Advent 1: Hope
Word of Hope: Psalm 25:1-10
One: Lift up our souls. MANY: As your beloved, we ask: do not remember our failings. One: But lead us in truth. MANY: Teach us your covenant ways. One: Make them known to us. MANY: And lift up our souls. One: We light this candle of hope to lift up the souls of all who see it. [LIGHT 1 CANDLE]Response: (to the tune of Silent Night)
Grow-ing hope, grow-ing hope, lift our souls, lift our lives.
Lead us gent-ly, safel-ly, home. Stead-fast, faith-ful-ly, guid-ing us home.
Teach us covenant way-s. Tea-ch us covenant way-s.
Advent 2: Peace
Word of Peace: Luke 1:68-79
One: Blessed be the God of Israel, our God. MANY: God has raised up a mighty savior, a prophet of the Most High. One: Bringing knowledge, salvation and forgiveness. MANY: Making the dawn to break upon us. One: Shining light and guiding our feet into the way of peace. MANY: We light these candles to bring hope and peace to all who see them. [LIGHT 2 CANDLES]Response: (to the tune of Silent Night)
Grow-ing peace, grow-ing peace, sent from God, real through Christ.
Light is shin-ing, guiding our feet. Peace-ful savior is com-ing so soon.
Dawn’s a-break-ing, now. Dawn is a-break-ing, now.
Advent 3: Joy
Word of Joy: Isaiah 12:2-6 One: Let’s trust God who is our strength and our salvation. MANY: With joy, let’s draw water from the wells of salvation. One: Let’s give thanks to God and praise God’s name. MANY: Let’s sing so that all on earth know. One: Know the greatness of God. MANY: Know the greatness of our God who saves. [LIGHT 3 CANDLES]Response: (to the tune of Silent Night)
Grow-ing joy, grow-ing joy, trust in God, trust in Christ.
Sing from hym-nals, songs sweetly sung. Prais-ing, thank-ful-ness, great-ness of God.
Joy, such hea-ven-ly, jo-y. Jo-y, such hea-ven-ly, joy.
Advent 4: Love
Word of Love: Luke 1:46-55 One: My soul glorifies the Lord. MANY: God has looked on me with favor and holy is God’s name. One: God lifts up the lowly and fills the hungry with good things. MANY: God has been faithful and merciful. One: God has been love. MANY: God is love. [LIGHT 4 CANDLES]Response: (to the tune of Silent Night)
Grow-ing love, grow-ing love, God is love, Christ is love.
Lifts the low-ly, hungry are filled. Jesus, ho-ly, ho-ly, name.
May we lov-ing-ly foll-ow. May we so lov-ing-ly love.
Christmas Eve
Word of Incarnation: Luke 2:1-7 One: In those days a decree went out that all should be counted. MANY: In those days, a vulnerable family left home for Bethlehem. One: In those days, the inn was full. MANY: On that day and young mother labored with love… One: …and gave birth to love… MANY: …and wrapped love in bands of cloth. [LIGHT ALL CANDLES]Response: “Advent Response” (to the tune of Silent Night)
Wrapp-ing love, swaddl-ing love, bands of cloth, man-ger laid.
One young moth-er, fa-ther and child. God-ly in-fant, so hum-an, so wild.
Christ: in-carn-ate love. Chr- ist: in-carn-ate love.
© Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen, 2018
