This simple form of evening worship is intended to be used during the lighting of the Advent wreath or other table candles at home from November 29 to December 24. It can be used at the daily evening meal, or another time. The entire form will take no more than five minutes.
This simple form of evening worship is intended to be used during the lighting of the Advent wreath or other table candles at home from November 29 to December 24. It can be used at the daily evening meal, or another time. The entire form will take no more than five minutes. The beauty is in the simplicity and repetition for people of all ages. Repeating these words together centers them in our heads and hearts, and draws us into the longing and anticipation of the Advent season, so that we might experience the joy of Christmas with deeper gladness. You will need three purple or blue candles, one pink candle, and some trimmed evergreens to encircle them. This homemade wreath may be placed at the center of the dining table or another suitable gathering place.
This service is based on An Order of Worship for the Evening, found in The Book of Common Prayer 1979, p. 109. The BCP may be found online here.
UPDATE: Each week of Advent, the Saint Mark's Prayer Podcast for Children and Families will release an episode presenting the service below in audio format, featuring some familiar voices from the Saint Mark's community. For Week 1, there is an additional bonus episode with an "instructed" version of the same liturgy, interspersing comments and explanations about the various elements. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, or listen to the episodes embedded at the bottom of this page!
OPENING ANTIPHON
A leader begins by saying the antiphon of the week, or:
Light and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord.
All respond:
Thanks be to God.
SCRIPTURE
A reader reads the following, or another appropriate passage of Holy Scripture:
If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light around me turn to night,” darkness is not dark to you, O Lord; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to you are both alike.
—Psalm 139:10–11
PRAYER
All pray together:
God of all the ages, rouse us from sleep, and form us into a watchful people, so that, at the advent of your Son, we may be prepared, bearing witness to your light, and eager to receive you. We ask this through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH
The Advent wreath is now lighted, lighting one blue/purple candle during the first week, two candles during the second week, and so on.
The pink candle is lighted on the third week.
HYMN
Conclude by saying or singing the evening hymn, known as the Phos hilaron, one of the oldest Christian hymns, first recorded in Greek in the 3rd century.
O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.
MEALTIME BLESSING
If dinner follows immediately, say together the mealtime blessing for Advent:
Holy God, we give you thanks for this meal, and for the One who is, and is to come among us. Make us steadfast in faith, joyful in hope, and constant in love. We pray this in the name of your son Jesus, in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
4 Responses
David Jenkins
Thanks for making these resources available. They enrich the experience of the advent season.
Saint Mark's Cathedral
Thank you, David!
Shannon
These are wonderful! Thank you for these amazing resources. We are using them in our rural church community.
Saint Mark's Cathedral
Shannon, thanks so much! Since we’re gathering in person again, Thanks be to God, our 2021 Advent hasn’t had to involve distributing as much material for home. But what a blessing to know the work we did in the difficult days of November 2020 continues to be useful!