Updated to include Christmas Eve and an Advent Carol of response.
It’s time for Advent wreath liturgies again. This year I’ve done my utmost to tie the Narrative Lectionary texts to the Advent theme words (hope, peace, joy and love) by choosing short sections of Psalms to come before a responsive reading, followed by lighting the candle for the week. You’ll see the sermon title/weekly theme I’ll be using at the beginning of each week’s liturgy. The phrase repeats in the liturgy itself. I’ve included a suggested hymn to follow each week; they are all from the New Century Hymnal, in use at the UCC church I serve. I’ve also written a thematic carol to use, with weekly verses, which you can find here: Now It’s Time to Light the Candle (REGENT SQUARE or PICARDY). All texts are NRSV.
Permission is granted to use these liturgies and/or the carol; I ask that you leave a comment telling me your church name and location, because I love knowing where they are going.
Advent 1 – The Book of Hope – 2 Kings 22:1-10, [14-20]; 23:1-3
Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and shield.
Our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you. (Psalm 33:20-22)
One: Something’s coming.
Many: We’re waiting. We’re eager.
One: It’s more than presents.
Many: It’s more than lights.
One: We open the Book of Hope and read the promise.
Many: God will be with us.
One: Our hearts are glad; we trust God’s holy name.
Many: God’s never-ending love surrounds us.
One: Today we light the candle of Hope.
(Light the first candle.)
All: Our hope is in the Lord.
Suggested Hymn of response – O How Shall I Receive You
Advent 2 – The Promise of Peace – Isaiah 40:1-11
Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people,
to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
righteousness and peace will kiss each other. (Psalm 85:8-10)
One: Can you hear it?
Many: What is it?
One: God’s Word is coming.
Many: We’re listening. We’re eager to hear.
One: A voice cries out and declares the Promise of Peace.
Many: We stand in awe.
One: Things are going to even out in the world.
Many: All people will embrace each other.
One: Today we light the candle of Peace.
(Light the second candle.)
All: Our peace comes from God.
Suggested Hymn of response – It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Advent 3 – The House of Joy – Ezra 1:1-4; 3:1-4; 10-13
O send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling.
Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy;
and I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God. (Psalm 43:3-4)
One: It’s getting closer.
Many: We feel it!
One: The days are shorter, but the lights burn brighter.
Many: We’re listening. We’re eager to hear good news.
One: We’ve gathered together in the House of Joy.
Many: We’re here to praise God with our voices.
One: We’re here to praise God with beautiful music.
Many: We’re here to praise God with all we have.
One: Today we light the candle of Joy.
(Light the third candle.)
All: We worship God with exceeding joy!
Suggested Hymn of response – On Christmas Night All Christians Sing
Advent 4 – The Language of Love – Luke 1:5-13, 57-80
I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to my servant David:
‘I will establish your descendants forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’” (Psalm 89:1-4)
One: New life is coming.
Many: We can count it in days now.
One: God is breaking through.
Many: God’s Word will change the world.
One: We will all be changed by the Language of Love.
Many: The covenant has come down 
through the generations.
One: The love of God is never-ending.
Many: We give thanks for God’s faithfulness.
One: Today we light the candle of Love.
(Light the fourth candle.)
All: We give thanks for God’s steadfast Love.
Suggested Hymn of response – Love Came Down at Christmas
***
Christmas Eve – The Word Incarnate – John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
One: Every year we light our candles.
Many: We watch the flames flicker with wonder.
One: God’s light is here.
Many: This light is life for all people.
One: The darkness will never overcome it.
(Light the Christ candle.)
All: The Word is with us. Thanks be to God.
Love it! Moving and nicely rooted in the scripture.
Rev. Jason Adams
Reformation Lutheran Church
Las Vegas, NV
Hillside Community Lutheran Church says “THANK YOU!!!”
Spring Hill, KS
-Pastor Janice Hawley
Using your liturgies in Fort Wayne, IN
Thank you for this! We will be using this at First UMC in Huntingdon, PA.
Beautiful. Weighty, poetic, lush. These words will carry us through the Advent and Christmas seasons.
Rev. Dawn Rolke, Regina, SK United Church of Canada
Thank you so much! I will be using your liturgy in both my congregations, Benton Falls Congregational Church and Winslow Congregational Church, on the shores of the Sebasticook and Kennebec Rivers in central Maine.
Rev. Kim Shrader
Love these!! We’ll be using them in a slightly different order at First Pres Apopka, Florida.
Thank you! We will be using these at Mt Carmel in Norcross, GA, also in a slightly different order.
Thank you! We will use these at Zion United Church of Christ in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland, OH.
Grassy Creek Baptist Church, Bullock, NC Thanks!
using at Portland United, St John, New Brunswick Canada…with much thanks for your gift to the Church
Thank you. We will use these at Prospect United Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Cleveland, TN.
Hi Martha, thank God you are so inspired, may you be blessed. We will be using the liturgy at Atonement Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Beloit, WIsconsin.
Thanks Martha, as always your words speak to me and so I will be sharing them with First Congregational Church in Bay City, Michigan.
These are wonderful! I would like to use them at Chapel Hill UCC in Louisville, KY. Thank you so much for offering your wonderful gift of liturgy writing to enrich the worship others!
Thank you for sharing the gift of your words for worship liturgy this Advent. I will be adapting some of this for my congregation Van Wyck Presbyterian Church (Van WYck, SC). Blessings to you this Advent Season!
Thanks for this! We’ll use it at Hope Lutheran in Clinton, MD.
These are so filled with God’s Advent messages. Thank you for posting to share. I serve Faith, Moe and Immanuel Lutheran Churches in Clayton, WI. A great small church service option.
I am Burnetta Armour, and I will be using these at Millersburg First and Clark Community Presbyterian Churches in Millersburg, OH.
We will be using your Advent liturgies again this year at The Intersection, Dorchester, MA. Thank you for sharing! They are a gift to us.
Beth Wagner, 1st Presbyterian Church, Springfield IL
Blessings upon blessings! Thank you. This will be shared with the good folk of King City United Church, King City, Ontario, Canada
Thank you! These liturgies will be a blessing to the worshipers at Hughes United Methodist in Wheaton, MD.
We will use them in our pre-worship Sunday morning gatherings in Advent – here in Wilmette, IL! Thank you for creating and sharing!
Thank you so much! We’re using them at Peace Lutheran, Herreid, SD and Pollock Lutheran, Pollock SD
Southminster in Boise, ID will be using them too. Thanks, Martha!
Salem Lutheran in Wooster Ohio will be using this. Thank you!
Thank you for your generosity in sharing this liturgy. I will adapt them for use with the congregationI serve at EEastminster Presbyterian Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Thank you for sharing this! We will be adapting them for use at Zion Lutheran Church, Portland, CT
Thanks so much! We’re using is this Advent in the United Methodist Church in Iola, Kansas.
Hi we are using it at St. Marks Lutheran Church in Kingston, Ontario.
Thank you!
As I said on the page where you have posted the hymn, I love this and will be using it in Belfast South Methodist Church in Belfast
Thank you so much… Using your readings at Zion-Irving Lutheran church Paynesville, Mn and Harrison Community Presbyterian in Spicer, MN
We’ll be using it at Andrews Presbyterian Church, Andrews TX. We’ll use the hymn, too! Thanks, Martha.
We’ll be using them at Third Westminster Presbyterian in Elizabeth, NJ. Thanks for your work!
These are beautiful! Using them at our Women’s Fellowship, Inch & Kilmore parishes, Co. Down, NI. Thank you.
Thank you for these. I will using them in our pastoral charge, Elk Island Pastoral Charge which consists of United Church Congregations in Alberta Canada.
Members, both young and old will participate in the lighting of the Advent wreath and we will use your readings. At the time of the lighting a bell ringer will also participate with ringing of a bell. Thank you for your creation of this material. Myrtle Creek United Methodist Church.
Thank You! Salem Lutheran, Creston, IA
Thanks for this! I’m going to be incorporating these readings into our Calls to Worship during Advent in the Tatamagouche Pastoral Charge (United Church of Canada) in Tatamagouche, NS.
We’ll be using a version of these candlelighting liturgies at Western Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. – and giving thanks for your work!
Very nice! Thanks for your good work and for sharing it with us. I plan on using the reading at the South Waterloo Church of the Brethren, Waterloo, IA
We’re using it at Ankeny UCC in Ankeny, IA, too.
Planning to use this at Wathena and Troy, Kansas UMC’s
Beautiful! Thank you. Planning on using it in Brattleboro VT and Leyden MA.
Like them a lot. Using them in Tell City First Church of the Nazarene
Thank you for helping us light our fire… Advent candle fire that is! Hodge Presbyterian Church, Trenton MO
Thank you so much–very beautiful and easy to read for all of our members, including the kids. We’ll be using at First United Methodist, Morris, IL.
This is very well done! Thanks for sharing your gifts!–Cane Creek Baptist Church, Hillsborough, NC.
First Lutheran Church, Poulsbo WA will be using your wonderful Advent contribution! Thanks!
Your words will be lovely blessing to my congregation at Waples United Methodist Church in Denison, Texas!
Thank you so much!!! North Congregational Church UCC, Middleboro, MA!!! Rev. Patty Kogut, Pastor
This is wonderful! St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church, Columbia Heights, MN
Rev. John Hierlinger
thanks from Knox’s and St Vigeans churches in Arbroath, Scotland!
Thank you and blessings! Sharing these at First Congregational Church-UCC in Dayton, Washington!
Thank you from The Bellarine Gateway Anglican Parish of Leopold, Newcomb and Whittington outside of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. I shall have to rework some of the Winter references to reflect the approaching Summer soltice, but thank you for the lovely liturgies.
Swift Current Pastoral Charge, United Church of Canada, Arnold’s Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Beautiful! Thank you!
Celebration Fellowship, an ABC house church in Noblesville, IN
THANK YOU FOR THE ADVENT LITURGY
Thank you for a beautiful liturgy and song rooted in scripture. We are using them at the First Presbyterian Church of Waterloo, Waterloo, NY. We chose to sing the song to the tune of SICILIAN MARINERS.
Ah, fun! That’s a great tune.
Bedford First Christian Church (DOC). Thank you! Alan Cloar
Bedford, IN…..
Thanks for this, it is beautiful. I am using it in Great Falls, Montana in a United Methodist church
These readings are beautiful. I’ll be using them in Maurertown, Virginia, at a Disciples of Christ church. Thanks so much for sharing them.
Thank you for this creative approach. Nixa Christian (DOC) Nixa, MO
Thank you!!! Beautifully done. Hope PC (PCUSA) Springfield, IL
This is a great way to introduce my church, Dublin Church of God, Dublin Virginia, to Advent.
Thank you so much. Using the Christmas Eve response at First United Methodist Church in Stanley, NC.
We’ve used these at St. Columba’s Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) in Budapest, Hungary.
Aaron, thank you for letting me know. Merry Christmas to you!
My Advent hope includes a hope for some great Martha Spong resources for Advent 2016 for the Narrative Lectionary!!
Oh, gosh! Thanks for the reminder. I’ll get that on my writing calendar.
Martha, we plan to use these Advent liturgies at First Olympia UMC in Olympia WA this year. Thanks!
Copetown United Church, Copetown, Ontario, Canada. Thank you so much. Resources like this are very helpful
Martha. Thank you for creativity and your generosity in sharing this. I stumbled on it this morning with great delight, as I’m prepping for Advent. I’ll be using this and the hymn at St. Paul’s United Church Scarborough. Blessings.
Thank you. We’ll be using at the First Congregational Church, Brimfield, MA.
Thank you! These are thoughtful without being too wordy! We’ll be using them at Englewood Christian Church in Yakima, WA.
Found and preparing to hand out and use in Bearbrook, Navan and Blackburn Anglican Churches, Ottawa East, Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, Anglican Church of Canada. Beautifully simple, meaningful, and communal. Thank you.
thanks so much . using them at Journey UCC, Albany NY
I’m looking forward to using these resources at Wathena and Troy UMC, KS. I love the inclusive response of the people throughout the readings.
These are amazing. You clearly put thought into this! Thanks for allowing their use. I will be using them at Quinter UMC in Quinter, KS.
Thank you so much for sharing your gifts!
Pastor Joanna Miller
Zion Lutheran Church, Philipsburg & St. James Lutheran Church, Baden
Eastern Synod of the ELCIC
Thank you.
Sarah Morris
Christ Episcopal Church, Pearisburg, VA
I love the energy in this liturgy. Thank you so much for making available for free! Rev. Sue Trigger, First Presbyterian Church, Rockaway, NJ.
What the Spirit makes available to me, I am happy to share.
Thank you for sharing!
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Brooklyn, NY
Thanks for doing this. We are using it at Greensburg UMC, Greensburg, KY.
I sent you an email about permission , but obviously didn’t read all of the article except the liturgy. So thank you. We will use it at our church this year. Diane Tauscher – Emanuel Lutheran Church in Blackfoot, Idaho
That’s fine. Have a blessed Advent.
Thanks so much for making your creativity available to the rest of us. We’ll be using your liturgy and your hymn at First Presbyterian in Granbury, Texas.
I have a new church in Spring Hill and Bucyrus KS and plan to use these again. Thanks for keeping them up!
Thank you for sharing! I will use this in All Saints Anglican Church, Aklavik NT (Canada) for Year B, 2017..
It’s 2017 and we are going to use it today for our family’s advent devotion this Christmas day.
Baguio City
Philippines
Christmas 2017
Just stumbled on this Advent Candle Liturgy….and yes, it is 2018 … but we are in the Year of C in the Lectionary! I am hopeful that we will use this liturgy in the church I am serving an appointment at – it is in the United Church of Canada in Oshawa Ontario.
Thank you from First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, Missouri.
Beautiful! Will use at First Presbyterian Allen Tex
Much gratitude for this gift of a Candle Lighting ceremony. We will be using it in Rochester, New York – First Baptist Church of Rochester.
Thanks. Just like my colleague in Rochester, we’ll be using these this year at First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain (Boston).
Thank you. We will be using these at Christ Episcopal in Pearisburg, VA.
Lovely! I plan to use these this year at First Presbyterian Church in Amboy, Minnesota
Thank you! We are planning to use these at the Puyallup UMC in Puyallup WA.
Thank you! Your beautiful words are helping to guide the wreath lighting litany at Wooden Cross in Woodinville, WA, for our liturgy this year.
Thanks heaps for these – using them in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
I may use all or part– giving you credit– in East Orleans, MA at the Federated Church of Orleans on Cape Cod where I am the Interim Senior Pastor. Thank you for sharing.
You are most welcome!
Planning to use these at First Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, Illinois this year. Thank you!
You are welcome!
Planning to use your litanies this year in Hopewell, Va. They put life back into the tradition!!
Thank you for sharing the creative Spirit in you! We will use your liturgies here in Belchertown, MA at Hope UMC!
Have a blessed Advent!
Thank you Rev. Spong– we’ll be using your words at John Knox Presbyterian in Houston, TX this year!
Thank you, we will be using this at S Paul’s Anglican Church, Samford in Queensland Australia
Robert
Priest in Charge
Planning to use your liturgies in Charleston, SC at St. Andrews Parish UMC. Thanks for sharing your work!
Our worship team loves this – we’ll be using these readings this Advent at New Creation Lutheran Church, San Jose, Calif. Many thanks.
Thanks! Epiphany Lutheran Church, Elmhurst, IL
Love your work and the use of scripture. Thanks. WIll be using this at Grace Methodist Church in Mississauga Ontario Canada
Thank you for your wonderful work. We are using this at Community Congregational Church in Rensselaer, NY.
Thank you for these beautiful liturgies. We will be using the Advent Candle Lighting liturgy for Advent 4 at Knox United Church, Langham, Saskatchewan, Canada.
We are using this in Edmonton, Alberta Canada in 2020. Edmonton Moravian Church. Thank you for the beautiful words!
You are most welcome!
We are grateful to be able to use portions of this work in the Methodist Church on the Dutch island of Curaçao in the Caribbean.
I am planning to use portions of your beautiful liturgy at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Spokane, WA
Thank you so much for sharing your poetry! We will adapt for St. Paul’s UMC in Helena, MT
I rediscovered this marvelous liturgy, which I had saved in my archives! This Advent, while we are sheltering at home and worshipping via livestreaming, the children, youth and adults of Zion United Church of Christ in Elberfeld, IN will be recorded as they present these dialogues with energy and joy!
Blessings to your congregation.