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At Colfax, while we do recognize that the liturgical “Church Year” is of great importance to many people, we do not pattern our services after it. God is His grace has given us one “holy-day” every week, the Christian The Candles Sabbath Day. However, we do recognize there are times when it is Most candles are or , the traditional color of the Advent appropriate to recognize the Church calendar. This is especially true when it season. Purple represents both repentance and the royalty of the coming comes to the season before us. May the Lord bless and keep you and your King. One rose-colored candle is also used to suggest the Rose of Sharon. family as you seek the Light of the World! This candle is traditionally lit on the third , a time of joy.

 The first candle, called the Prophecy Candle, recalls the Old The Meaning of the Advent Testament promises of the coming . (Isaiah 2:2-5, , Romans 13:11-14, Genesis 3:1-15) We use the during this season of the year because it helps worshipers understand better the significance of the coming of Christ.  The second, the Candle, focuses on the preparations of Sometime after the sixth century, the Church designated the four Sundays Mary and Joseph for the actual birth of Christ. (Isaiah 11:1-10, before as Advent. This season was not intended to be a merry Psalm 72:1-8, Matthew 3:1-12) four-week celebration. Such celebration was reserved for Christmas Day. Advent was, in contrast, an echo of Israel’s deep longing for the promised  The third, the Shepherd’s Candle, emphasizes the joy of finding Messiah. As such, the season, also known in some circles as Winter , the and the witnessing of this joy to other. (Isaiah 35, called for and repentance, mingled with joy and expectation. Psalm 146, Matthew 11:2-11)

This joining together of repentance and joy during Advent continued in later  centuries. Even though the Church demanded self-examination during this The fourth, the Angel’s Candle, reminds us of Christ’s divinity and season; it also, with an undercurrent of joyful expectation, encouraged of the blessings intended for all people by His coming. (Isaiah 7:10- believers to focus comings, or “advents,” of Christ: the Old Testament 14, , Romans 1:1-7) prophecies of the Messiah, the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, the presence of Christ in the hearts of believer, and the  The Center Candle, which is white (purity), is the Christ Candle. It is lit on , the end of Advent. (Isaiah 9:2-7, Psalm 96, Titus 2:11-14)

The Wreath The use of the Advent Wreath is worship can help forget The wreath has a circular shape. The circle, without beginning or end, about the commercialization of Christmas and instead focus on the reminds us of Jesus’ divinity, of His sacrifice in becoming Emmanuel, and of “hopes and fears of all the years.” His unending love and care for us. The evergreens, a sign of life amid the starkness of winter, point to Christ’s Adapted from Reformed Worship 97, 2010 Faith Alive Christian redemptive gift of life, now and forever. With the assurance of this gift, we Resources. can eagerly pray for Christ to return and to restore all of creation.