CCH 2025 Advent Candle Readings
November 30: HOPE (Isaiah 9:2-7)
We light the first candle of Advent, the Candle of Hope. As we begin this season, we remember that hope is not wishful thinking—it is the confident expectation that God keeps His promises. In the darkness of our world and the uncertainty of our lives, Jesus shines as the true and unshakable hope given to us. The prophets longed for His coming, Israel waited for His arrival, and now we celebrate that the same Savior who stepped into history continues to step into our stories today. As we light this candle, we declare together that our hope is found in Christ alone—past, present, and forever.
December 7: PEACE (Isaiah 11:1-9)
We light the second candle of Advent, the Candle of Peace. The peace Jesus brings is not the absence of conflict but the presence of His calming, healing, reconciling power in our lives. In a world filled with anxiety, division, and hurry, Christ comes as the Prince of Peace—speaking stillness into our storms and restoration into our relationships. This peace reaches beyond our understanding and settles into the deepest places of our hearts. As we light this candle, we remember that true peace isn’t found in our circumstances—it’s found in the One who holds every circumstance in His hands.
December 14: JOY (Luke 2:8-12)
We light the third candle of Advent, the Candle of Joy. The joy that Christ brings is more than a feeling; it is a deep, steady gladness rooted in God’s presence and God’s promises. When the angels announced His birth, they declared “good news of great joy”—a joy for every person in every season. Even in trials, this joy remains because it is anchored in the unchanging faithfulness of Jesus. As we light this candle, we celebrate that Christ’s joy is not fragile, not fleeting, and not dependent on how life feels today. It is a joy that strengthens us, sustains us, and reminds us that our Savior has come.
December 21: LOVE (1 John 4:9-12)
We light the fourth candle of Advent, the Candle of Love. Advent reminds us that the greatest love the world has ever known didn’t come wrapped in gold or displayed in power—it came wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. God’s love is initiating, sacrificial, and steadfast. It reaches for us long before we reach for Him. In Jesus, God displays a love that heals our brokenness, forgives our sin, and invites us into His family. As we light this candle, we remember that the love of Christ is not just something we celebrate—it’s something we receive, reflect, and share with the world around us.
December 24: CHRIST (John 1:9-14)
We light the Christ Candle—the center of the Advent candles and the center of our faith. All season we’ve waited, watched, and prepared our hearts. Now we celebrate that the Light of the World has come. Jesus is the fulfillment of every promise, the answer to every longing, and the Savior who steps into the darkness to bring life. In Him, hope is fulfilled, peace is secured, joy is made complete, and love is revealed. As we light this candle, we remember that Christmas is not simply a story—it is the declaration that God is with us, God is for us, and God has come to rescue His people. Christ has come, Christ is here, and Christ will come again.
We light the first candle of Advent, the Candle of Hope. As we begin this season, we remember that hope is not wishful thinking—it is the confident expectation that God keeps His promises. In the darkness of our world and the uncertainty of our lives, Jesus shines as the true and unshakable hope given to us. The prophets longed for His coming, Israel waited for His arrival, and now we celebrate that the same Savior who stepped into history continues to step into our stories today. As we light this candle, we declare together that our hope is found in Christ alone—past, present, and forever.
December 7: PEACE (Isaiah 11:1-9)
We light the second candle of Advent, the Candle of Peace. The peace Jesus brings is not the absence of conflict but the presence of His calming, healing, reconciling power in our lives. In a world filled with anxiety, division, and hurry, Christ comes as the Prince of Peace—speaking stillness into our storms and restoration into our relationships. This peace reaches beyond our understanding and settles into the deepest places of our hearts. As we light this candle, we remember that true peace isn’t found in our circumstances—it’s found in the One who holds every circumstance in His hands.
December 14: JOY (Luke 2:8-12)
We light the third candle of Advent, the Candle of Joy. The joy that Christ brings is more than a feeling; it is a deep, steady gladness rooted in God’s presence and God’s promises. When the angels announced His birth, they declared “good news of great joy”—a joy for every person in every season. Even in trials, this joy remains because it is anchored in the unchanging faithfulness of Jesus. As we light this candle, we celebrate that Christ’s joy is not fragile, not fleeting, and not dependent on how life feels today. It is a joy that strengthens us, sustains us, and reminds us that our Savior has come.
December 21: LOVE (1 John 4:9-12)
We light the fourth candle of Advent, the Candle of Love. Advent reminds us that the greatest love the world has ever known didn’t come wrapped in gold or displayed in power—it came wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. God’s love is initiating, sacrificial, and steadfast. It reaches for us long before we reach for Him. In Jesus, God displays a love that heals our brokenness, forgives our sin, and invites us into His family. As we light this candle, we remember that the love of Christ is not just something we celebrate—it’s something we receive, reflect, and share with the world around us.
December 24: CHRIST (John 1:9-14)
We light the Christ Candle—the center of the Advent candles and the center of our faith. All season we’ve waited, watched, and prepared our hearts. Now we celebrate that the Light of the World has come. Jesus is the fulfillment of every promise, the answer to every longing, and the Savior who steps into the darkness to bring life. In Him, hope is fulfilled, peace is secured, joy is made complete, and love is revealed. As we light this candle, we remember that Christmas is not simply a story—it is the declaration that God is with us, God is for us, and God has come to rescue His people. Christ has come, Christ is here, and Christ will come again.