The Church Year
Advent Services
Advent is the season of preparation before Christmas, the four Sundays leading up to December 25. Its name means ‘coming.’ Churches light the candles of the Advent wreath one by one and keep a quiet, hopeful watch, remembering the first coming of Christ at Bethlehem and looking for his return. Western churches begin Advent four Sundays before Christmas; many Eastern churches keep a longer Nativity Fast.
What Advent services are
Advent opens the Christian year. Over four Sundays before Christmas, churches gather to watch and wait, lighting one more candle on the Advent wreath each week (with the white Christ candle lit at last on Christmas). The mood is hopeful and reflective rather than loud, a deliberate slowing down before the celebration. Many churches also hold midweek Advent services, carol services, and services of lessons and carols. Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and many Protestant churches keep Advent; most Orthodox churches observe a forty-day Nativity Fast in its place.
The coming of Christ
Advent holds two comings together: the child who came at Bethlehem, and the King who has promised to come again. It is a season for anyone who is tired of the noise and longs for something real to wait for.
Find a service near you
Advent is a gentle season to begin. You do not need to know anyone, dress a certain way, or have it all figured out. Use the live church finder to search real, welcoming churches near you, then reach out to one and ask about their service times. Whether you have been every week for fifty years or have never been at all, you are wanted exactly as you are.
Find a church near youWhat to expect if you goFrequently asked questions
- When does Advent start?
- In Western churches Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which falls between November 27 and December 3, and runs until Christmas Eve. Many Eastern churches keep a forty-day Nativity Fast instead.
- What do the Advent candles mean?
- The Advent wreath usually holds four candles, one lit each Sunday, often named for hope, peace, joy, and love, with a central white candle lit on Christmas for Christ. Each week's growing light pictures the coming of the light of the world.
- Can I attend Advent services if I am new to church?
- Yes. Advent's quiet, reflective services are a gentle place to begin. Use the church finder to find a welcoming church near you and check its Advent schedule.
Come and see
Behind every one of these days is a Person, not a performance. The living Christ is not an argument to be won but someone to be met, and he still draws near to everyone who comes to him with an open heart. You do not have to believe everything first. You are welcome to come with your questions, your grief, and your doubts, and simply see. The Gospel of John is a gentle place to begin, and it costs you nothing but a little quiet and an honest look.
Read the Gospel of JohnCome and SeeAsk for prayerJesus Christ is Lord.