Advent Candle-lighting: Week 2

Advent in The United Church of Canada and

The United Church of Christ

Advent Year C, 2021

O Come, Advent: Candle-lighting Ritual

You are invited to play with these liturgies in a way that works within your congregation’s setting: with multiple voices, scripture sentences, using the question at the end to invite testimony.  Each week begins with a video of new lyrics to a traditional Advent hymn. Each week builds on the previous weeks, until all four stanzas and refrain are reprised at Christmas.

Week Two: Peace

 O Come, Advent: Verses 1 & 2

O come and be the hope in all our lives

Though chaos and confusion still survive

We know the path of hate all too well

We need our God with us, Emmanuel!

Rejoice, rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to us

And all things shall be well

O come and bring your peace upon the earth

That even now still longs for its rebirth

We seek to live and move in your ways

Guide us to peace and justice all our days

Rejoice, rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to us

And all things shall be well

Candle Lighting Ritual (Luke 3:1-6)

When conflict seems never-ending, relationships rocky,

When we want to deny and pretend,

The Holy invites us to make space for truth-telling

That we may find Peace

(Light candle of Peace)

Where in the world do we find Peace these days? (invite congregation to reflect together)

Advent in The United Church of Canada and The United Church of Christ: Candle-lighting Ritual for Advent 2021, ©2021 United Church of Canada and United Church of Christ. Permission given to churches to reproduce or adapt in services of worship or church education.  All publishing rights reserved.

O Come, Advent, lyrics and arrangement by Adrian Marchuk. © 2021 United Church of Canada; tune VENI EMMANUEL, Public Domain.  Permission given churches to reproduce and stream for worship or education purposes. All publishing rights reserved.

Advent 2 text