Lord our God, we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ.
He is Emmanuel, the hope of all peoples;
he is the wisdom that teaches and guides us;
he is the Saviour of every nation.
O God, let your blessing come upon our community gathered here before you.
Bless us (+) and our advent wreath (+)
May the light that shines forth from them illumine our way as we journey towards Christmas;
may the light that shines forth from them illumine our lives as we wait in hope for the birth of the Christ-child.
We ask this through Christ who is the Light of the World.
Amen.
This prayer is adapted from the ecumenical one found at the website of the Anglican Roman Catholic Commission of Aotearoa New Zealand (ARCCANZ).
A full service focused around this rite has been placed at “A blessing of the Advent Wreath” and can easily be adapted to different contexts.
Further prayers at the Advent Wreath for each Sunday and Christmas Day
Advent wreath song
Anglican parish priest Doug Chaplin of the wonderful Liturgica site has produced an Advent wreath song. There is a verse for each Sunday of Advent, and one for Christmas Day. It can be combined with other forms of prayer quite easily. If you want to use it, please do, but with an attribution. The tune is Personent Hodie.
Take this light, let it shine:
call of God, love divine,
summons old Abram’s line,
hope for all the nations
gift of God’s salvation.
Shine, O candles, shine,
Burn with love divine,
to the night,
comes the light
of the Father’s glory.
Take this flame, let it burn:
prophets called: “From sin turn,
come to God, evil spurn:
God will love and pardon,
bear away your burden.”
Take this wick, let it glow
for the one come to show
way of God, Christ to know:
baptise in the river,
new life to deliver.
Take this spark, let it blaze,
Mary’s called: girl amazed,
now says yes, God be praised.
In the womb of woman,
God’s Word now is human.
Take this fire, let it flame,
God is born in our frame,
sinless child tastes our shame,
sin’s might he is breaking;
new the world is making.
