將臨期點燭禮（Advent Candle Lighting）
The Worship Sourcebook
Advent Candle Lighting
The lighting of Advent candles dramatically depicts the growing expectation we have for the coming of Christ, the light of the world. This action most often functions as a call to worship, but it can also function as a response to the assurance of pardon or to the sermon.
The traditional Advent wreath has four purple candles (lit on the four Sundays of Advent) grouped around a white Christ candle (lit on Christmas Day). The main symbolism portrayed by the wreath is the growing intensity of light as the candle lighting includes an additional candle each worship day and as anticipation builds for the celebration of Christ’s second coming.
Some congregations attribute particular meaning to individual candles, associating them with peace, joy, love, and light; with Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the Magi; or with other related aspects of Christ’s coming. These associations may be helpful for a congregation at a particular time, but they are not in any way necessary to a worshipful celebration. Similarly, a tradition calling for the third candle to be pink is not especially important. It is based on a medieval tradition in which the second to last Sunday of Advent (and Lent) accented Christian joy in the middle of a penitential season.
The following resources offer readings to accompany the lighting of the Advent candles for each particular Sunday during Advent. Lighting the Advent candles and reading associated texts provides a fine opportunity to involve a variety of adults and children in leading worship.
A series of readings from Isaiah
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world;
the one who follows me will not walk in darkness but have the light of life.”
We light this candle [these candles] as a sign of the coming light of Christ.
[on the First Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined. —Isaiah 9:2, NRSV
[on the Second Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
I will lead the blind by a road they do not know, by the paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do and I will not forsake them. —Isaiah 42:16, NRSV
[on the Third Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
The Lord says to his servant, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” —from Isaiah 49:6, NRSV
[on the Fourth Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. —Isaiah 58:8, NRSV
[on the eve of Christmas or on Christmas Day]
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For the darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. —Isaiah 60:1-3, NRSV
[on each occasion the candle lighting is concluded as follows.]
Come, Lord Jesus, our light and our salvation.
Let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Another series of readings from Isaiah
We light [these candles] as a sign of the coming light of Christ.
Advent means coming.
We are preparing for the full coming of God’s kingdom:
[on the First Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
The nations shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. —from Isaiah 2:4, NRSV
[on the Second Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. —Isaiah 11:6, NRSV
[on the Third Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. —Isaiah 35:1-2, NRSV
[on the Fourth Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
[on the Third Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. —Isaiah 35:1-2, NRSV
[on the Fourth Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
The Lord will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel (“God is with us”). —from Isaiah 7:14, NRSV
[on the eve of Christmas or on Christmas Day]
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them light has shined. —Isaiah 9:2, NRSV
[on each occasion the candle lighting is concluded as follows]
Let us walk in the light of the Lord.
[on the first Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
We light [these candles] as a sign of the coming light of Christ.
In the wilderness prepare the way of our Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
—based on Isaiah 40:3, NRSV
[on the second Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
The Lord will give you a sign. A young woman is with child and shall bear a son.
And they shall name him Immanuel, which means “God is with us.”
—from Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23, NRSV
[on the third Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
Every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
—Isaiah 40:4, NRSV
[on the fourth Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all the people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
—Isaiah 40:5, NRSV
[on the eve of Christmas or on Christmas Day]
The Word became flesh and lived among us,
and we have seen his glory,
the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
—John 1:14, NRSV
This resource involves only one verse of Scripture; each week a phrase from Isaiah 9:6 is added. The various candles are lit just before the various names for the coming Messiah are read. On Christmas Day all of the candles can be lit before the reading of the entire text.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called
[week 1] Wonderful Counselor,
[week 2] Mighty God,
[week 3] Everlasting Father,
[week 4] Prince of Peace.
We light [these candles] as a sign of our waiting and hope for the coming Christ.
—based on Isaiah 9:6, NIV
This resource involves simply repeating Isaiah 11:1-3 and pausing to light the candles at a different point in the reading each time.
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
[week 1] The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
[week 2] the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
[week 3] the Spirit of counsel and of power,
[week 4] the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord—
[Christmas] and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
We light [these candles] as a sign of our waiting and hope for the coming Christ.
—based on Isaiah 11:1-3, NIV
This resource involves simply repeating Isaiah 61:1-3 and pausing to light the candles at a different point in the reading each time.
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me;
[week 1] he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
[week 2] to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners;
[week 3] to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God;
[week 4] to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
[Christmas] to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
We light [these candles] as a sign of our waiting and hope for the coming Christ.
—based on Isaiah 61:1-3, NRSV
This resource for two readers (or two groups of readers) focuses on the symbols of darkness and light.
[First Sunday of Advent]
Reader 1: In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep.
Reader 2: A wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,”
Reader 1: and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.
Reader 2: God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
—from Genesis 1:1-5, NRSV
[Second Sunday of Advent]
Reader 1: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
Reader 2: The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Reader 1: I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Reader 2: Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage. Wait for the LORD!
—from Psalm 27:1, 13-14, NRSV
[Third Sunday of Advent]
Reader 1: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
Reader 2: Those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them has light shined.
Reader 1: A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
Reader 2: And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest on him. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.
—from Isaiah 9:2; 11:1-3, NRSV
[Fourth Sunday of Advent]
Reader 1: We wait for light, and lo! there is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
Reader 2: Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
Reader 1: For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples.
Reader 2: But the Lord will arise upon you, and nations shall come to your light.
Reader 1: The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you by night. For the LORD will be your everlasting light and your God will be your glory.
—from Isaiah 59:9; 60:1-3, 19, NRSV
[Eve of Christmas or Christmas Day]
Reader: 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Reader 2: He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him.
Reader 1: In him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
Reader 2: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
Reader 1: The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
—from John 1:1-5, 9, 14, NRSV
In this resource each week of Advent is associated with a particular virtue (hope, love, joy, peace).
[First Sunday of Advent, after lighting the first Advent candle]
Prepare the way of the Lord.
We light this candle in hope,
the hope of our coming Savior, Jesus.
Prepare, then, the way of the Lord.
[Second Sunday of Advent, after lighting the second Advent candle]
Prepare the way of the Lord.
We light this candle in love,
the love that Jesus, our Savior, has for us.
Prepare, then, the way of the Lord.
[Third Sunday of Advent, after lighting the third Advent candle]
Prepare the way of the Lord.
We light this candle in joy,
the joy that we have in Jesus, our Savior.
Prepare, then, the way of the Lord.
[Fourth Sunday of Advent, after lighting the fourth Advent candle]
Prepare the way of the Lord.
We light this candle in peace,
the peace that Jesus, our Savior, gives to the world.
Prepare, then, the way of the Lord.
[Christmas reading, after lighting the Christ candle]
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! We light this candle because Jesus, the light of the world, was born on this day, and he brightens all things. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Each reading in this resource focuses on a significant Advent theme (contemplation, holiness, social justice, rejoicing, incarnation).
[First Sunday of Advent]
The Advent wreath is a circle with no beginning and no end.
It is a symbol of God’s unending love and faithfulness.
The prophet Isaiah said, “The Lord himself will give you a sign:
the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,
and will call him Immanuel.”
The angel Gabriel said to Mary, “Greetings you who are highly favored!
The Lord is with you.”
We rejoice that we too have found favor with God.
God’s mercy extends to those who fear him from generation to generation.
—based on Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:28, NIV
[Second Sunday of Advent]
The Advent wreath is a circle with no beginning and no end.
It is a symbol of God’s unending love and faithfulness.
Its light reminds us of Jesus, the light of the world.
In him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness did not overcome it.
Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light.
Live as children of light.
If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
We are all children of light and children of the day;
we are not of the night or of darkness.
Jesus said, “Everyone who believes in me
should not remain in the darkness.”
—based on John 1:4-5; 12:46; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; 1 John 1:7, NRSV
[Third Sunday of Advent]
The Advent wreath is a circle with no beginning and no end.
It is a symbol of God’s unending love and faithfulness.
Isaiah the prophet calls us to prepare for the coming of Jesus
by making straight all that is crooked.
A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Let us prepare for Jesus, the Christ,
who is anointed by God to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners.
For as a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
—based on Isaiah 40:3, 5; 61:1, 11, NRSV
[Fourth Sunday of Advent]
The Advent wreath is a circle with no beginning and no end.
It is a symbol of God’s unending love and faithfulness.
The shepherds were the first to hear
the joyful announcement of Christ’s birth—
the good news of great joy for all the people.
Upon seeing the baby Jesus, the shepherds spread
the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
and all who heard it were amazed.
We have also heard this wonderful news.
We welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
Though we have not seen Jesus, we love him;
and even though we do not see him now, we believe in him.
And we are filled with an expressible and glorious joy.
—based on Luke 2:10, 17-18; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:8, NIV
[Eve of Christmas or Christmas Day]
The Advent wreath is a circle with no beginning and no end.
It is a symbol of God’s unending love and faithfulness.
Jesus Christ is the brightest revelation of God’s love.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory,
the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
—based on John 1:14; Philippians 2:5-7; Colossians 1:15, NIV
[on the eve of Christmas or on Christmas Day]
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness, on them light has shined. —Isaiah 9:2, NRSV
[on each occasion the candle lighting is concluded as follows]
Let us walk in the light of the Lord.
[on the first Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
We light [these candles] as a sign of the coming light of Christ.
In the wilderness prepare the way of our Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
—based on Isaiah 40:3, NRSV
[on the second Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
The Lord will give you a sign. A young woman is with child and shall bear a son.
And they shall name him Immanuel, which means “God is with us.”
—from Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23, NRSV
[on the third Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
Every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
—Isaiah 40:4, NRSV
[on the fourth Sunday of Advent and at each successive lighting]
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all the people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
—Isaiah 40:5, NRSV
[on the eve of Christmas or on Christmas Day]
The Word became flesh and lived among us,
and we have seen his glory,
the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
—John 1:14, NRSV
This resource involves only one verse of Scripture; each week a phrase from Isaiah 9:6 is added. The various candles are lit just before the various names for the coming Messiah are read. On Christmas Day all of the candles can be lit before the reading of the entire text.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called
[week 1] Wonderful Counselor,
[week 2] Mighty God,
[week 3] Everlasting Father,
[week 4] Prince of Peace.
We light [these candles] as a sign of our waiting and hope for the coming Christ.
—based on Isaiah 9:6, NIV
This resource involves simply repeating Isaiah 11:1-3 and pausing to light the candles at a different point in the reading each time.
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
[week 1] The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
[week 2] the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
[week 3] the Spirit of counsel and of power,
[week 4] the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord—
[Christmas] and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
We light [these candles] as a sign of our waiting and hope for the coming Christ.
—based on Isaiah 11:1-3, NIV
This resource involves simply repeating Isaiah 61:1-3 and pausing to light the candles at a different point in the reading each time.
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me;
[week 1] he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
[week 2] to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners;
[week 3] to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God;
[week 4] to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
[Christmas] to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
We light [these candles] as a sign of our waiting and hope for the coming Christ.
—based on Isaiah 61:1-3, NRSV
This resource for two readers (or two groups of readers) focuses on the symbols of darkness and light.
[First Sunday of Advent]
Reader 1: In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep.
Reader 2: A wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,”
Reader 1: and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.
Reader 2: God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
—from Genesis 1:1-5, NRSV
[Second Sunday of Advent]
Reader 1: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
Reader 2: The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Reader 1: I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Reader 2: Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage. Wait for the LORD!
—from Psalm 27:1, 13-14, NRSV
[Third Sunday of Advent]
Reader 1: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
Reader 2: Those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them has light shined.
Reader 1: A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
Reader 2: And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest on him. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.
—from Isaiah 9:2; 11:1-3, NRSV
[Fourth Sunday of Advent]
Reader 1: We wait for light, and lo! there is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
Reader 2: Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
Reader 1: For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples.
Reader 2: But the Lord will arise upon you, and nations shall come to your light.
Reader 1: The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you by night. For the LORD will be your everlasting light and your God will be your glory.
—from Isaiah 59:9; 60:1-3, 19, NRSV
[Eve of Christmas or Christmas Day]
Reader: 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Reader 2: He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him.
Reader 1: In him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
Reader 2: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
Reader 1: The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
—from John 1:1-5, 9, 14, NRSV
In this resource each week of Advent is associated with a particular virtue (hope, love, joy, peace).
[First Sunday of Advent, after lighting the first Advent candle]
Prepare the way of the Lord.
We light this candle in hope,
the hope of our coming Savior, Jesus.
Prepare, then, the way of the Lord.
[Second Sunday of Advent, after lighting the second Advent candle]
Prepare the way of the Lord.
We light this candle in love,
the love that Jesus, our Savior, has for us.
Prepare, then, the way of the Lord.
[Third Sunday of Advent, after lighting the third Advent candle]
Prepare the way of the Lord.
We light this candle in joy,
the joy that we have in Jesus, our Savior.
Prepare, then, the way of the Lord.
[Fourth Sunday of Advent, after lighting the fourth Advent candle]
Prepare the way of the Lord.
We light this candle in peace,
the peace that Jesus, our Savior, gives to the world.
Prepare, then, the way of the Lord.
[Christmas reading, after lighting the Christ candle]
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! We light this candle because Jesus, the light of the world, was born on this day, and he brightens all things. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Each reading in this resource focuses on a significant Advent theme (contemplation, holiness, social justice, rejoicing, incarnation).
[First Sunday of Advent]
The Advent wreath is a circle with no beginning and no end.
It is a symbol of God’s unending love and faithfulness.
The prophet Isaiah said, “The Lord himself will give you a sign:
the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son,
and will call him Immanuel.”
The angel Gabriel said to Mary, “Greetings you who are highly favored!
The Lord is with you.”
We rejoice that we too have found favor with God.
God’s mercy extends to those who fear him from generation to generation.
—based on Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:28, NIV
[Second Sunday of Advent]
The Advent wreath is a circle with no beginning and no end.
It is a symbol of God’s unending love and faithfulness.
Its light reminds us of Jesus, the light of the world.
In him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness did not overcome it.
Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light.
Live as children of light.
If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
We are all children of light and children of the day;
we are not of the night or of darkness.
Jesus said, “Everyone who believes in me
should not remain in the darkness.”
—based on John 1:4-5; 12:46; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; 1 John 1:7, NRSV
[Third Sunday of Advent]
The Advent wreath is a circle with no beginning and no end.
It is a symbol of God’s unending love and faithfulness.
Isaiah the prophet calls us to prepare for the coming of Jesus
by making straight all that is crooked.
A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Let us prepare for Jesus, the Christ,
who is anointed by God to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners.
For as a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
—based on Isaiah 40:3, 5; 61:1, 11, NRSV
[Fourth Sunday of Advent]
The Advent wreath is a circle with no beginning and no end.
It is a symbol of God’s unending love and faithfulness.
The shepherds were the first to hear
the joyful announcement of Christ’s birth—
the good news of great joy for all the people.
Upon seeing the baby Jesus, the shepherds spread
the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
and all who heard it were amazed.
We have also heard this wonderful news.
We welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
Though we have not seen Jesus, we love him;
and even though we do not see him now, we believe in him.
And we are filled with an expressible and glorious joy.
—based on Luke 2:10, 17-18; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:8, NIV
[Eve of Christmas or Christmas Day]
The Advent wreath is a circle with no beginning and no end.
It is a symbol of God’s unending love and faithfulness.
Jesus Christ is the brightest revelation of God’s love.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory,
the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
—based on John 1:14; Philippians 2:5-7; Colossians 1:15, NIV
