Everything you want to know about ADVENT

Advent is a season observed in most Christian denominations as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Christ at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year in Western Christianity. The name was adopted from Latin adventus "coming; arrival", translating Greek parousia from the New Testament, originally referring to the Second Coming.

The season of Advent in the Christian calendar anticipates the "coming of Christ" from three different perspectives: the physical nativity in Bethlehem, the reception of Christ in the heart of the believer, and the eschatological Second Coming.

Practices associated with Advent include Advent calendars, lighting an Advent wreath, praying an Advent daily devotional,[1] erecting a Christmas tree or a Chrismon tree, lighting a Christingle,as well as other ways of preparing for Christmas, such as setting up Christmas decorations,a custom that is sometimes done liturgically through a hanging of the greens ceremony.

The analogue of Advent in Eastern Christianity is called the Nativity Fast, but it differs in meaning, length, and observances, and does not begin the liturgical church year as it does in the West. The Eastern Nativity Fast does not use the term parousia in its preparatory services.

The theme of readings and teachings during Advent is often the preparation for the Second Coming and the Last Judgement. While the Sunday readings relate to the first coming of Jesus Christ as saviour as well as to his Second Coming as judge, traditions vary in the relative importance of penitence and expectation during the weeks in Advent.

Since approximately the 13th century, the usual liturgical color in Western Christianity for Advent has been violet; Pope Innocent III declared black to be the proper color for Advent, though Durandus of Saint-Pourçain claims violet has preference over black. The violet or purple colour is often used for antependia, the vestments of the clergy, and often also the tabernacle. On the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, rose may be used instead, referencing the rose used on Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent. A rose colored candle in Western Christianity is referenced as a sign of joy (Gaudete) lit on the third Sunday of Advent.

While the traditional color for Advent is violet, there is a growing interest in and acceptance, by some Christian denominations of blue as an alternative liturgical color for Advent, a custom traced to the usage of the Church of Sweden (Lutheran) and the Mozarabic Rite, which dates from the 8th century.

The keeping of an Advent wreath is a common practice in homes or churches. The concept of the Advent wreath originated among German Lutherans in the 16th century.However, it was not until three centuries later that the modern Advent wreath took shape.The modern Advent wreath, with its candles representing the Sundays of Advent, originated from an 1839 initiative by Johann Hinrich Wichern, a Protestant pastor in Germany and a pioneer in urban mission work among the poor.

In view of the impatience of the children he taught as they awaited Christmas, he made a ring of wood, with nineteen small red tapers and four large white candles. Every morning a small candle was lit, and every Sunday a large candle. Custom has retained only the large candles.

The candles symbolize, in one interpretation, the great stages of salvation before the coming of the Messiah; the first is the symbol of the forgiveness granted to Adam and Eve, the second is the symbol of the faith of Abraham and of the patriarchs who believe in the gift of the Promised Land, the third is the symbol of the joy of David whose lineage does not stop and also testifies to his covenant with God, and the fourth and last candle is the symbol of the teaching of the prophets who announce a reign of justice and peace. Or they symbolize the four stages of human history; creation, the Incarnation, the redemption of sins, and the Last Judgment.^[51]

In Orthodox churches there are sometimes wreaths with six candles, in line with the six-week duration of the Nativity Fast/Advent.

In Sweden, white candles, symbol of festivity and purity, are used in celebrating Saint Lucy's Day, 13 December, which always falls within Advent.

Saying Goodbye

By Sue Carvalho (and Steve too)

How do you say goodbye to someone who is no longer here. You don’t, you need to let them know you appreciate them while they are here. We are still here and we appreciate YOU. If you are reading this I love you and appreciate you. By the time you read this we will be on our way to Florida to live full time. We have been members of Christ Church ever since Steve and I became engaged and we knew we wanted to be married in a church. We wanted to be married in a church and be part of the community.

We found Christ Church and we knew it was our church. Christ Church has always been a source of comfort and solace. We love Christ Church. We have put our heart and soul into Christ Church and we have enjoyed all that we have done and all that we have given. It has never felt enough because we love it so much. Thank you to all the strong women of Christ Church…you know who you are….you have lost people and found yourselves alone and you still carry on. You are my source of strength. This church is a gem and something we should be proud of. I get to be totally me and that’s okay. I no longer apologize for who I am. I love to write notes, I can be a bit irreverent and I love a great shoe and a great outfit. I also love to be kind and let people know they matter in my life. I am glad Christ Church has started to see diversity as love is love….isn’t it?.

When people approached us in the last few weeks and said they are going to miss us I want you to know how much we will miss you also. I see you and I have so many memories. We worked harvest festivals together,we were on committees together and we even served on vestry together. We have attended weddings and funerals and christenings..love when babies are baptized…and part of the service. We have seen people come and stay and come and go.I hope I have always been kind to you…the most important thing is that I was kind and that you know how much you mean to me. I know your story and I don’t care. We all have stories…sad stories and happy stories. You have buried loved ones, divorced and moved on. You are so strong and you know to lean on to your Christ Church family. I can’t stop crying when I think of your love for us. We are blessed that Christ Church has been our church for so many years. Don’t be a mean girl…love your neighbor…be kind and know that we will carry this love wherever we go. Oh and we promise to be back….All or love…Steve and Sue Carvalho.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry on 10,000+ dead in Gaza: Stop the killing

November 7, 2023

Office of Public Affairs

You may know me as the pastor who is always talking about love, and I am. But today I am mindful that the urgency of love—true, sacrificial love that respects all of humanity—is not just a good feeling, and it is not easy.

We are called to a love that demands much from us. We are called to a love that tells the truth.

Today I raise my voice for love because more than 10,000 people have died in Gaza, including more than 4,000 children.

The violence is horrific, and the geopolitics are complex, but my call to love is simple: Stop the killing. Stop all of it. Stop it today.

We will not be silent while an entire population is denied food, water, electricity, and fuel needed to run hospitals. We cannot stand by while thousands of civilians die. Our partners in the region tell us they live in terror—that they feel they have died even while alive. They feel that the international community is tacitly sanctioning the killing of civilians and the bombing of schools, hospitals, and refugee camps.

Staying quiet in this moment would be a stain upon our souls and would deepen our complicity.

U.S. leadership must tell Israel to stop bombing civilian areas and allow access for full humanitarian aid to flow freely into Gaza.

Every human child of God—Palestinian and Israeli—deserves safety and security. We need to stop the killing. Today. 

Vengeance will not bring back the dead. Retaliation will not repair the harms and the hurt. We are called to love, even and especially when it seems impossible. 

We must stop the next 10,000 from being killed. As Episcopalians, we must call upon our leaders—President Biden, members of Congress, and others—to be unequivocal that we need to stop the killing. Today. This is clearly what love demands of us.

Early in the new year, Lay Eucharistic Visitor Training will be offered via Zoom on two consecutive weeknights (you must attend both): Tuesday, Jan. 16 and Wednesday, Jan. 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Register with the diocese. To be licensed by the bishop as a lay eucharistic visitor, one must complete training, be up to date with Safe Church training and have signed authorization from their congregation’s clergyperson. The application for licensing is online here. Contact Martha Gardner with questions or for more information.

Vestry Members

Jennifer Valiente, Co-Warden jvaliente21@yahoo.com

David McCarthy, Co-Warden Ernh3@aol.com

Sue Sheppard, Treasurer Suesheppard021@gmail.com

Susan McMullen, Clerk smcmullen@rwu.edu

Julie Baker julieabaker317@gmail.com

Judi DeMellohfr1577@yahoo.com

Joan Padrenoss joanpadrenoss@gmail.com

Leslie Burrell leslieburrell4479@gmail.com

Jennifer Braga jbraga311@gmail.com

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Convention Delegate Julie Sanders

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