Advent - the period of anticipation of the Christ's Birth

Advent (from Latin "adventus" – arrival) is a time of awaiting the Christ's Birth.

The First Candle – the Prophesy Candle (the Candle of Hope). It symbolizes the Old Testament prophecies of the Savior's coming. We celebrate the fulfillment of these prophecies – the Savior's arrival on earth as an Infant, His coming into our hearts through faith in the Word of God, and His final coming in glory to judge all people. The symbol of the first Advent is a lit candle, illuminating the path for those entering the church. On this day, prophecies about the Messiah's birth are read in churches and believers' homes.

The Bible contains over three hundred prophecies related to the life, ministry, and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. These prophetic messages, written hundreds of years before their fulfillment, have always served as one of the most important proofs of the Gospel's truth. That's why it's crucial for Christians to know them and pass them on to their children. Pastor Serhiy Okhrimenko shared about this with the church on this day and lit the first candle.

On the second Sunday of Advent, we lit the Bethlehem Candle in memory of the city where the Savior was born. The Bethlehem Candle is a symbol of Jesus' coming to earth, the Son of God; it's also known as the "Candle of Peace." So, it was symbolic that during this challenging time when our country desperately needs peace, we lit this candle and prayed for deliverance from war and peace for our land. On this day, both children and adults were united in prayer and worship, listening to the sermon about the events in Bethlehem to prepare their hearts for Christmas.

On the third Sunday of Advent, we lit the third candle — the Shepherd's Candle (or the Joy Candle), symbolizing the birth of the Lord in a person's heart through faith in the holy Word of God. Just as the shepherds saw the Savior with their own eyes and believed, we can see the Savior today through the eyes of our faith. The shepherd's candle also symbolizes evangelism, as believers share their faith, much like the shepherds who told everyone about the angels' vision and the birth of Christ. It was symbolic that our senior pastors Dmytro and Nataliia Laptiev, who had just returned from a missionary trip to Kenya (Africa), lit this third candle.

The fourth Advent candle - the Angels' Candle (or the Love Candle) was lit by our children. This candle symbolizes the angels who appeared to the shepherds in the Bethlehem cave, proclaiming the birth of Christ.

And Christmas has arrived! Happy holidays!