Why Advent?

Published on December 01, 2009 by Eric Landry

Although Presbyterian and Reformed churches are not known for “keeping” the church calendar, a limited use of the liturgical seasons is an appropriate way to commemorate the high points of the Gospel message along with our brothers and sisters in Christ in other branches of the Church.  By doing so, we are also able to emphasize for our friends and neighbors the Christian nature of what have nearly become the wholly secular holidays of Christmas and Easter.

 Advent is the “season” of the church’s calendar the precedes the celebration of Christmas.  The season of Advent, a season of waiting, is designed to cultivate our awareness of God’s actions—past, present, and future. In Advent we hear the prophecies of the Messiah’s coming as addressed to us—people who wait for Jesus’ Second Coming. In Advent, we heighten our anticipation for the ultimate fulfillment of all Old Testament promises, when the wolf will lie down with the lamb, death will be swallowed up, and every tear will be wiped away.

 For the four Sundays before Christmas, our services will feel slightly different as we incorporate different elements into the service, prior to the call to worship: a Scripture reading, prayer, and song.  The Advent wreath and candles are primarily seasonal decorations; they serve a secondary purpose of reminding us of the different themes that mark our Advent reflections: hope, peace, joy, and love.