Advent

Advent is a special time at Timber Ridge Presbyterian church as we prepare our hearts, minds, and souls for the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. During this time of preparation the sanctuary blazes with color and life which include the Advent Wreath, Chrismon Tree, poinsettias, window greenery and candles, and the life that burns brightly in those who worship God. Each decoration is chosen with care with focus on the meaning it brings to our lives and the abundance of green symbolizes the growth God brings in our individual lives especially in this season of preparation as we actively await the advent of Christ's birth anew in our lives. Even the children actively learn about the preparation by putting a little more hay in the manger each Sunday as they tell of what they did each week to prepare for Christmas.

The Chrismons that grace the Chrismon Tree were made by many folks over the years and each has symbolic meaning. You can learn more about the history, symbolism, and meaning of the Chrismon Tree and Advent Wreath from the links at the bottom of this page.

The candles of the Advent Wreath are lit each Sunday by individuals, families, groups, or people portraying persons from the Bible. The Advent Wreath has candles whose colors have special meanings:

purple	humility and penitence
pink	joy
white	purity, light, the Christ candle

The circle of greenery of the Advent Wreath symbolizes eternity and the greenery symbolizes new life and our ever green, growing, and living faith. The materials used in the TRPC advent wreath each year and their meanings are:

juniper and boxwood evergreens	eternal life
lavender	purity
sage	immortality
thyme	bravery
rosemary	remembrance
pomegranate	hope
globe amaranth and statice	everlasting life

Special musical selections are always a part of the Advent season and often there is at least one service which is mostly music in celebration of the joy of Christ's birth. Some worship services involve skits and portrayals of the manger scene.