A Light Shines in LOVE!
We light this candle to proclaim our faith in the coming of Christ’s light into the world. This Advent we ask that we may be as generous-hearted as Jesus was, who gave love to all people: old and young, healthy and sick, rich and poor, neighbors and enemies. We ask the Holy Spirit to help us find ways to shine the light of love especially on those who need it most in this darkest time of the year. Christ’s love is a light that shines in the darkness that the darkness does not overcome—a light that shines in us when we love.

“God is light….Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light….We know love by this, that [Christ] laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help…? God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them…. We love because God first loved us….The commandment we have from God is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.” excerpts from I John

…..a special time with the children, lessons and carols and a story by candlelight.  It will end with the traditional lighting of the congregation’s candles and the singing of Silent Night.

A Light Shines In CHRIST!
As we light the Christ candle we think about what Christ’s coming brings to each one of us, the gifts we have received in the past and the gifts we long for now. What gifts of hope, peace, joy and love have you received in the past year? What do you want and need now? How could Christ help give them to you? How could you help give them to others, including those with you right now?

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 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.” John 1:1-5

No additional detail for this event.