THE SEASON OF ADVENT

(J Cooper, Christmas Traditions and Customs ) Advent is the period of four Sundays and weeks before Christmas. Advent means ‘coming’ in Latin. This is the coming of Jesus into the world – a time to prepare and remember the real meaning of Christmas.

There are three meanings of ʻcomingʼ that Christians describe in Advent –
• about 2000 years ago when Jesus came into the world as a baby, to live as a man and die for us • Jesus coming into our lives now
• when Jesus comes back to the world as King and Judge No one is really sure when Advent was first celebrated but it dates back to at least 567 when monks were ordered to fast during December, leading up to Christmas.

Some Advent celebrations include:
• Advent carols, including ʻO Come, O Come, Emmanuel
• Advent calendars, where little windows are opened each day in December
• In the 19th century, German protestant Christians counted down to Christmas by marking 24 chalk lines on a door and rubbing one off every day
• Advent candles, 4 candles are lit –one each Sunday leading up to Christmas
• The Christ Child candle, which sits at the centre of the Advent wreath and is lit on Christmas Day. The Advent Season is a reminder to prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of our Saviour.

Pastor Darryl