Posted on 11/30/2008 2:38:21 PM PST by marshmallow
FRIENDSWOOD — Evangelicals are more likely to sing choruses than hymns. They do not use prayer books, and recitation of Christian creeds is a rare thing in their churches.
They tend to view the layers of ritual that their friends and neighbors in the Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal and other liturgical churches enjoy as something like a dense thicket of historical artifacts.
But Advent is becoming an exception to these superficial distinctions.
As USA Today noted last week, “Evangelical Christians are adopting — and adapting — the rituals of Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas that are traditionally celebrated by Catholics, Lutherans, Eastern Orthodox and other liturgical churches.”
The newspaper also noted that, despite the anemic economy, sales of Advent-related items are up by double digits over previous years.
Time Of Preparation
The Rev. Ralph Hobratschk, pastor of Friendswood’s Hope Lutheran Church, explained the traditional observance is one of preparation.
“(Today), I’ll wish everyone a ‘Happy Advent,’ which is the four Sundays preceding Christmas Day,” Hobratschk said. “It’s been part of the Western Church practice for centuries. It’s a season containing elements of preparation and anticipation.”
He said this seasonal event is intended to bring to mind the nativity and the second coming of Jesus. A wreath adorned with four or five candles is used with one being lighted each Sunday and the fifth one being set alight on Christmas Day.
The number and colors of the candles may vary, according to differing church traditions. Hope Lutheran chooses three purple, one pink and one white for its Advent celebration. In liturgical churches, the colors of the priest’s vestments match the candles.
“It’s a time of preparation for both of Jesus’ comings,” he said. “Children respond very well. They can count to five and feel the anticipation mounting.”
Hobratschk, who meets weekly to pray with other clergy, has been spreading the Advent practice, and he’s even pushing for his nonliturgical fellow pastors to consider adding Lent to their annual observances — a much tougher sell.
“They are understanding,” he said. “They want to know about the liturgical year, that cycle. There’s a sense of ritual and majesty and familiarity that assures people with its ebb and flow.”
Season Of Song
Less than a mile east of Hope lies Trinity Fellowship, a member of the Evangelical Free Church movement boasts no stained glass windows, tapestries, vestments or prayer books.
But there is a candlelit Advent wreath and, this year, a series of Advent sermons, each one based on a familiar Christmas carol.
“We wanted to anticipate Christ in concrete terms,” said Trinity’s pastor, Bob DeGray said.
The church’s diverse membership includes those from many faith backgrounds.
“Annually, we associate each week of Advent with a different word, song or theme,” he said.
“This year, we’ll tie it in with the carols: ‘O Come, O Come Emanuel,’ ‘Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence,’ ‘Hark the Herald Angels’ and ‘O, Holy Night.’”
Historians trace Advent to the early years of the church and the Advent candles to several hundred years ago.
Advent calendars didn’t become popular until commercial printing made them affordable to families in the mid-1800s. Available in a dazzling array of styles, they conceal a picture, token or originally a sugary treat behind a door or flap, allowing children, and childlike adults a daily surprise for each day of Advent.
Catholic Traditions for Advent and Christmas
Mary's Gift of Self Points the Way, "The Blessed Mother and Advent", Part 1 of 4
The Perfect Faith of the Blessed Virgin "The Blessed Mother and Advent", Part 2 of 4
Theotokos sums up all that Mary is: "The Blessed Mother and Advent", Part 3 of 4
Holy Mary and the Death of Sin - "The Blessed Mother and Advent", Part 4 of 4
Reclaiming the Mystery of Advent, Part One: The Meaning of Advent
Renewing the Mystery of Advent, Part Two: The Witness of John the Baptist
Why “Gaudete?”, Part Three (Third Sunday of Advent)
Sunday before Nativity
Holy Mary and the Death of Sin - "The Blessed Mother and Advent", Part 4 of 4
Catholic Liturgy - Rose-Colored Vestments on Gaudete Sunday
Advent through Christmas -- 2007
Immaculate Conception Novena -- starts November 30th [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Advent 2007 -- Day by Day
Making Advent a Reality (the seasons are out of whack)
The Advent Workshop -- lots of information and activities
Jesse Trees (genealogy of Jesus activity for families)
Advent Wreath & Candles (Prayers for the Family)
Advent Overview
Reclaiming the Mystery of Advent, Part One: The Meaning of Advent
Celebrating Christ’s Advent [Archbishop Raymond Burke]
Praying through Advent -- 2006
The Paradox of Advent
Experience the Joy of Advent
Advent: the Reason for the Season
The Advent Wreath
Advent Activity - The Jesse Tree
That incredible shrinking Advent-Christmas season (Christmas should start, not end, Dec. 25)
Advent Thoughts: Some of the Church Fathers on the Divinity of Christ
The Relationship Between Advent and the Change in the Seasons (Dom Guéranger)
"Choruses"? Why do the songs all have verses then?
If you start doing these things then when do you do Old Christmas and Santa Lucia?
Our church has done the advent wreath and candles for a few years now. A couple of us suggested it and hubby and I went to the local Christian bookstore and purchased the wreath and candles. Every Sunday in December a different family does the candle lighting and reading of scriptures. It ends on Christmas Eve. I liked the formality of the Episcopal church when I was a kid,especially at Christmas and Easter.
Choruses are what they call worship songs. They aren’t hymns but usually psalms made into music or they are written by modern composers.
When Evangelicals stop acting like Evangelicals, they will no longer be Evangelicals.
Very beautiful!!
How have you been Mary? Hope all is well this Season of Hope.
There seems to be so many different Evangelical groups that you can believe and teach almost anything you want.
Can anyone tell me what the common factor is to be called an Evangelical.
They aren’t hymns but usually psalms made into music or they are written by modern composers.
Not psalm derived nearly often enough.
When Evangelicals stop acting like Evangelicals, they will no longer be Evangelicals.
It'll come.
There's a pretty wide perception internally that all is not well in American low church evangelicalism. They need to stop listening to the management gurus and "vision consultants" and start preaching "Christ and Him crucified".
I was wondering if any would tell us about what was happening at their churches. Thanks.
We always had an Advent wreath at our table — and since we had five children it worked out great. One for each of the weeks of Advent and one to light the “Jesus candle” in the center on Christmas eve. They had to draw numbers each year.
Yeah, I'm quite familiar. And I know that "they" call the songs "choruses" - and it annoys me. How can a "chorus" have a chorus and verses?
It's kind of an artificial category applied inconsistently to a wide variety of churches, so there's not really an answer to your question.
Many (but admittedly not all) such churches do exactly that. Some preach "Christ and Him crucified" quite well and still think "management gurus" might have something valuable to add to what they do. The two don't have to be mutually exclusive, as long as it's understood what the core of the mission and message are.
By the way, I like your tagline...
By the way, I like your tagline...
It's there for a purpose...
You’re very welcome, dear salvation. What a blessing it is to have five children, and one for every candle, LOL.
Well, I haven’t heard TOO many of them that weren’t pretty good. Everyone has different tastes, however. I believe God loves every one of them that is sung with a heart of love for Him.
I’m doing pretty well. Tired at times but that’s natural with anemia and dialysis. I’m looking forward to Christmas and hopefully spending some time with my two sons and their families. I haven’t seen my AK son at Christmas in a lot of years. I have a nuclear stress test tomorrow morning and I’m feeling the stress already! Love, M
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