First Sunday of Advent
Many area churches commence their liturgical years with Advent services. This preparation for celebrating the birth of Jesus is marked in these churches by different vestment and church decoration colors.

There are three purple or blue candles and one pink candle, all surrounding a white candle, the Christ Candle, which is lit on Christmas Eve or Day. A different Advent candle is lit each Sunday to signify the weekly passage to Christmas. The Advent candle today is colored either purple or blue and is called the Hope candle.

If your faith tradition celebrates Advent, this is a wonderful day to begin to enjoy the tradition leading up to Christmas.