A Living Advent Wreath Prayer Service

Leader: The circle of the Advent Wreath, without beginning or end, symbolizes God’s unending love for us. The evergreen in the wreath represents growth and the hope of eternal life. The four candles stand for the four weeks before Christmas, as well as the thousands of years people waited for the coming of the Messiah.

As we begin our closing prayer let us reflect on what we can each do during this season to ready our hearts to receive the most precious gift that God could share with us, Jesus his Son.

The First Candle

Reader 1: “There was a man named John sent by God, who came as a witness to the light, so that through him all people might believe. But he only testified to the light, for he himself was not the light. The real light which gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” - John 1:6-9

Reader 2: The light of hope- Advent is a time of preparing for the birth of Jesus, and we wait in hope that He will come. He also hope that we will get to spend eternity with Him in heaven.

Leader: And so as adults we say…Adults: Let us walk in the light of hope.

Leader: Jesus surrounds Himself with children, and so they say…Children: Come Lord Jesus, lead us to hope.

The Second Candle

Reader 3: “I am the LIGHT of the world. No follower of mine shall ever walk in darkness; he shall possess the light of life.” - John 8:12

Reader 4: The light of love- Advent is a time to show our friends and family how much we love them. We can also learn to love Jesus more as we wait for His birth.

Leader: And so as adults we say…

Adults: Let us walk in the light of hope and love.

Leader: Jesus listens to the children as they say…Children: Come Lord Jesus, lead us to hope and love.

The Third Candle

Reader 5: “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” – John 1: 3-5

Reader 6: The light of joy- As the second half of Advent begins, we begin to prepare our homes and our hearts for the birth of Jesus with joy and excitement. Jesus is coming soon, and we need to be ready.

Leader: And so as adults we say…Adults: Let us walk in the light of hope, love, and joy.

Leader: Jesus welcomes the children as they say…Children: Come Lord Jesus, lead us to hope, love, and joy.

The Fourth Candle

Reader 7: “"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5: 14-16

Reader 8: The light of peace- As Christmas approaches, we can choose to make this world a better place for Jesus to be in by praying and working for peace. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, and the angel that announced His birth promised that those who found Him would find peace.

Leader: And so as adults we say…Adults: Let us walk in the light of hope, love, joy, and peace.

Leader: And the children will lead us as they say…

Children: Come Lord Jesus, lead us to hope, love, joy, and peace.