Join us on during coffee hour to make your own Advent wreath, or to refresh one you already have.

An Advent Wreath is a way of marking the season of preparation for Christmas. There are four Sundays in the season of Advent (the word means arrival).  The wreath has four candles around its base.  Each candle is lit, accumulatively, on each Sunday in the season. You can say a prayer such as the collect for that Sunday, at each candle-lighting.  See below.

The candles might be either all the seasonal color of Advent (at St. Mark’s that is blue); or, three in the seasonal color, with one pink.  The pink candle marks the third Sunday in Advent.  Traditionally, Advent, a time of preparation of the Lord’s coming, has been penitential in nature.  The third Sunday, known as Gaudete Sunday, has been a respite from those penitential disciplines.  

Often, a fifth, white candle is placed in the middle of the wreath, and lit on Christmas Eve.

First Sunday of Advent

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of
darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of
this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit
us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come
again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the
dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
for ever. Amen.

Second Sunday of Advent

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to
preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our
Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Third Sunday of Advent

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come
among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,
let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver
us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and
the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation,
that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a
mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.