Advent Wreath Lighting Liturgy for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Reader 1

On the first Sunday of Advent we lit the “prophet” candle on our Advent wreath to remind us of the hope we have in Christ.     

Light the first candle – (the prophet candle or candle of hope) – at 9 o’clock on the wreath)

On the Second Sunday of Advent we lit the Bethlehem candle to remind us of the gift of peace.

Light the second candle – (the Bethlehem candle or candle of peace) – at 6 o’clock on the wreath.

On the third Sunday of Advent we lit the shepherds’ candle to remind us that our joy is in God and in his son Jesus Christ. 

Light the third candle, the pink one – (the shepherds’ candle or the candle of joy) - at 3 o’clock on the wreath.

Reader 2

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent when we light the candle of love.  It is sometimes called the angels’ candle to remind us of the angels who heralded the birth of the Savior who loves us.

1 John 4:9-11 says: ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Reader 3

We light this candle today to thank God for the loving sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who came into the world in love, to give his life for all of us.

Light the fourth candle – (the angels’ candle or the candle of love) – at 12 o’clock on the wreath.

Pray together...

O God of Love, Immanuel:  thank you for the precious gift of your Son Jesus.  Fill our hearts with his compassion and mercy, that we may know the power of His forgiveness in our own lives and show forth His love to the world around us.  In Jesus’ Name we pray.  Amen.