Advent: A season of reflection, anticipation, generosity

As snow blanketed Brandon this December, churches across the city embraced Advent, a season of “spiritual preparation” marked by prayer, reflection, and acts of kindness.

At St. Matthew’s Anglican Church located at 403 13th St., the Advent season took on special significance, with clergy and parishioners coming together to observe four Sundays of Advent in meaningful ways.

Alexis Frei, a lay reader at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, told the Sun advent is a time of spiritual preparation, dual anticipation: celebrating the Nativity of Christ and preparing for His second coming.

“Advent consists of four Sundays and serves a dual purpose. It prepares us to celebrate Christmas, one of the great feasts of the church, and to reflect on the return of our Lord Jesus Christ to fully inaugurate His kingdom on earth,” Frei said.

Central to the Sunday service, he said, was the lighting of candles, a symbolic act tied to the congregation’s prayers and intentions for the Advent season.

Frei described the practice as showing for everyone to see the church’s intentions for Advent as they pray. On each of the four Sundays, candles were lit, representing the growing light as Christmas approaches.

The second Sunday, which the Sun attended, is known as Morning Prayer and it featured prayers, scripture reading, hymns, and reflection.

“Prayer is a big part of Advent. It’s a way to grow closer to God, especially with intentionality during this season,” Frei added. “Hymns played a significant role as well, offering gratitude for Christ’s coming and hope for the future.”

Leon Morehouse, who led the service, highlighted the importance of quiet reflection during Advent.

“We have a moment or a time of what we call a quiet day,” he said. “We take turns discussing a topic, and this Wednesday, for example, I’m going to be talking about John the Baptist. We also look at the Song of Zechariah and Gregorian chants, which embed in our hearts the essence of this preparation.”

Morehouse shared personal experiences that brought the teachings of Advent to life. He recounted offering coffee and a muffin to a street person during a Friday Bible study, and how a sweater and socks he planned to give to the same individual symbolized his commitment to putting faith into action. “It’s one thing to feel these things; it’s another to act on them,” he reflected.

Advent also inspired Morehouse to ponder the depth of Christ’s sacrifice.

“When I think of what Jesus went through for us, it puts everything in perspective. It makes a difference in my whole attitude,” he said, noting the season’s power to foster personal growth and a sense of community.

Both Frei and Morehouse emphasized the need to resist the consumerism that often overshadows Advent.

“Advent is not Christmas,” Frei stressed. “It’s about slowing down, immersing oneself in quiet reflection, and finding ways to better reflect Christ’s love in our lives.”

For parishioners like Barbara Laluke at St. Matthew Anglican Church, the season held personal meaning as an opportunity to deepen her faith and connect with others in the congregation.

“The service is a time of joy and peace, with the lighting of candles symbolizing hope, peace, joy, and love. We pray for peace, joy, and then the last one is love,” she said, referring to the themes for each Sunday of Advent. “And then we light the white candle, which is Christ, that brings all of that together for us.”

Amelia Reid, 87, another parishioner, shared her reflections on the Advent service, noting that it has been a lifelong tradition for her.

“I’ve always gone to church,” she told the Sun. “It does something to the inside…it gives me comfort.”

At St. George’s Anglican Church, located at 114 Ash Grove Blvd., Marvin Hollender, a long-time parishioner, told the Sun the services mean a lot to him.

“This is probably the most important time of the year for me,” he said. “It’s a time to re-evaluate my life…through the birth of Christ, we are saved, and we are guaranteed eternal life.”

Hollender, who participated in the lighting of the Advent candles, described the experience as a profound moment. “When I light the candles, I take just a minute in front of the altar to say thank you to my Heavenly Father for the privilege of worshiping Him,” he said.

Rick Norberg, another St. George’s parishioner, highlighted the role of Advent in preparing for Christ’s birth.

“Advent is a time of preparation, waiting for Jesus to come,” he said. “We gather each Sunday, decorate the church, and we listen to the story of the night he was born.”

At St. Mary’s Anglican Church, parish rector Christopher Evetts described Advent as a season of anticipation and preparation for the birth of Jesus.

“It’s a time to reflect and to bring to mind the joys of that child-like anticipation for the moment when Christ is born,” he told the Sun.

Evetts elaborated on the various ways the church celebrates Advent, including the lighting of candles each Sunday and hosting additional events like soup and sandwich days and Christmas concerts.

“It’s an all-encompassing time for each church,” he added.

Evetts also explained that the church marks each Sunday of Advent with the lighting of a candle on the Advent wreath, which symbolizes various themes leading up to Christmas.

“Each Sunday we have readings from the Old and New Testament, flanked by Christmas carols and Advent hymns, to bring home the message of Christmas,” he said.

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