The four weeks leading up to the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day is the season of Advent.  Advent not only marks the beginning of a new year in the church calendar, but it is also an important season to center ourselves around some particular themes. The primary theme of Advent is the patient anticipation for the birth of Christ. During the hectic secular season of the holidays, Advent affords us a period of expectation, patience, and hope.  At the same time, Advent also has themes of Jesus' reign over the Kingdom of God as the risen Christ. One focus of Advent is what is commonly called the "Second Coming".  Advent is the celebration of the promise that Christ will bring an end to all that is  contrary to the ways of God.

 

Many churches, including St. George's in the past, adorn the church and it's ministers with purple-colored hangings (on the altar and the vestments of the clergy). The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church is primarily connected to what is known as the Sarum Rite (an Old English rite). In this tradition, blue is the traditional color of Advent.  During the Middle Ages, when blue was an expensive color to reproduce, purple was often used instead.  Theologically and for the church, the color purple denotes a time of penitence, commonly used during the season of Lent when we are led to be penitent of our sins.  Advent is not necessarily a penitent season, and so the use of purple during this time is not fully appropriate.  Blue is the color of the Blessed Virgin, and some of the important Advent themes are about the expectant birth, hope, expectation, confidence, and anticipation which are all represented through the color blue. We are excited to see these hangings displayed during Advent, 

they are truly spectacular!

Jerri Thompson, M.Ed.