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“Where are the purple candles?” I’ve heard this question a few times in the past couple of weeks, referring to the Advent wreath we usually have in the sanctuary this time of year. According to tradition, we add a light to this wreath each Sunday as we approach Christmas Day. Well, one answer to this question is that the purple candles (along with the Advent Wreath and stand) are in the Chapel. Stop by for a bit of quiet time during this often-hurried season. The candles are battery-operated, so you can turn them on for your meditation time. (Just remember to turn them off when you leave!) This would be a great way to read each day’s Advent devotional, as a matter of fact.
“OK, so why are they in the Chapel and not the Sanctuary?” you ask. Excellent question! I’m glad you noticed! The Worship Team is trying something new this year. With Isaiah as our guide throughout this season, we have been considering the Word that Isaiah saw. Because Isaiah is such a visual preacher-prophet, it seemed only fitting to create a visual expression of his prophecies. That is what the plow and the stump have been about. If you look carefully, you’ll see that there is a candle associated with each vision. Week One’s candle is surrounded by wheat stalks (of sorts), symbolizing the Word that is sown in us. Week Two’s candle is surrounded by sticks, reminiscent of the stump of Jesse. Stay tuned for what gets added in Weeks Three and Four. To be sure, these candles are not purple, however the symbolism is the same: Light is coming into the darkness, and the darkness will never overcome it. The lighting of these candles is taking place as part of the sermon time each week.
“But I miss the purple candles.” I know. I hear you. We’re trying this for one year, and then we will evaluate the experience after the season to decide if we will try it again. This was not a hurried or thoughtless decision. The modifications we have made to the tradition this year relate specifically to the Isaiah texts. The idea is to help us engage with his visions using all the senses. It was an intentional decision to move us beyond what is familiar so that we can let the Word settle in us a little deeper. Sometimes a shift in perspective is all we need to say, “Aha! I never thought about it that way before.”
So let yourself settle in. The purple candles will return eventually. In the meantime, ask God how the Word can be revealed to you and in you as you see Isaiah’s visions take shape this Advent season.
