The Advent wreath is a circular arrangement of candles with evergreen branches that you’ll notice during the Advent season. The Advent wreath is one of the many beautiful elements you’ll find in the church during Advent.

It used to be that the Advent wreath was used in the home

to help count the four weeks of Advent. Each Sunday

in Advent, a new candle on the wreath is lit. For example,

during the first week in Advent, only one candle is lit. During

the second week in Advent, two candles are lit. It is like a visual countdown

to help us remember and prepare for the coming of our Savior, Jesus

Christ, the Light of the World!

When you think of St. Valentine's Day, you probably think of the color red.

When you think of St. Patrick’s Day, you probably think of the color green.

When you think of Independence Day, you probably think of red, white, and blue.

Halloween? Probably orange and black!

Historically, the color for Advent has been royal purple. The color purple was luxurious and expensive to produce, and so was reserved for royalty. Decorating the sanctuary in purple was intended to remind us that Christ is King. If He is the King, then we are His subjects. Advent is a season to intentionally reflect on the fact that Christ is King and we are not. It’s an opportunity to turn from all the ways we try to make ourselves king and turn rightly back to the King of Kings.

While purple remains the color for Lent, the season preparing for Easter, some congregations, including ours, use blue during Advent in order to help differentiate between the two seasons. Traditionally, Mary, the mother of our Lord, has been depicted wearing blue. Blue is intended to communicate a sense of hope. Contrary to the popular scary, gloom-and-doom narrative of the return of Christ, we are hopeful.