Festivals at Bethlehem

We celebrate many special festivals and occasions according to the church year. The year is divided into different seasons which draw our attention to the life of Christ and the life of his Church.

On this page:

Advent

Advent altar parament at Bethlehem

Advent altar parament

The first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the church year and we celebrate it on the fourth Sunday before Christmas.

Advent is a time of preparation and anticipation leading up to Christmas on December 25. The word ‘Advent’ comes from the Latin word ‘adventus’ which means ‘coming’ or ‘arrival’.

There are two aspects to Advent. We are first of all preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, God's own Son, who came into the world more than 2000 years ago in Bethlehem.

At the same time, Advent gives us the opportunity to reflect on how we are waiting for Christ to return to earth on the last day. We can look forward to such a time with great hope because through faith in Jesus, the end of the world will mean the beginning of a new life with Christ for ever.

So Advent is a time for us to repent and believe – a time to celebrate the Light of the World in the midst of darkness.

Open Church

Throughout the 2008 Advent season, Bethlehem Lutheran Church will be open to the public on weekdays. Members, friends and visitors are welcome to spend some time away from the pressures of the world and reflect and meditate.

Opening times are Monday to Friday, from 11am to 3pm, beginning on December 1 up until Christmas Eve, December 24.

Advent Lessons & Carols

This special musical celebration held on the first Sunday of Advent attracts many visitors to our church. In recent years there is a special focus on songs from a particular country. In 2008, on Sunday November 30, the choir sang carols by composers from Australia and New Zealand.

See also:

View our collection of Advent Resources from around the world to enrich your spiritual life over Advent.

Christmas

Christmas Lessons & Carols

This is generally held at 8 pm on the Sunday before Christmas Day, and is an occasion which draws many visitors.

On December 21 2008, the special focus was on Australian and New Zealand songs and carols.

Christmas tree and manger scene

Christmas Eve

On the evening of December 24th there are three special services.

  • Christmas in German at 5pm.
  • At 7pm there is a special presentation by the Sunday school children.
  • A Carol Service takes place at 9pm.

Christmas Day

On Christmas Day, December 25th, the one worship service is held at 9.30am.

See also:

Transfiguration Sunday

The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported in the gospels in which Jesus is transfigured upon a mountain (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36). Jesus radiated the light of his divine glory, spoke with Moses and Elijah, and was called ‘Son’ by God.

The transfiguration places Jesus above Moses and Elijah, the two most important Old Testament prophets. It also highlights his identity as the Son of God.

Jesus tells the witnesses – Peter, James, son of Zebedee and John – not to tell others what they saw until he has risen on the third day after his death on the cross.

We celebration the Transfiguration on the last Sunday before Lent begins, occuring this year on Sunday February 22.

See also:

Lent

The season of Lent lasts for 40 days. This reminds us of the 40 day fast of Jesus in the wilderness after his baptism (Matthew 4:2, Luke 4:1-2), and also Moses' 40 day fast on Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:28). Sundays are not included in the 40 days because every Sunday is a joyful celebration of Jesus' resurrection. 

Lent originated in the early church as a time of preparation for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and converts were instructed in the faith before baptism.

It is a time for repentance and renewal as we reflect on Jesus perfect obedience and his self-sacrifice for our sins.

Because of Lent's penitential nature, worship tends to be more solemn, with violet the liturgical colour.

The word ‘Lent’ comes from the Old English word for ‘Spring’. (Lent occurs during Spring in the Northern hemisphere.)

In 2009 Lent begins on 25 February, and ends on 11 April, the day before Easter Sunday. A special mid-week worship service with a short meditation is held at Bethlehem each Wednesday at 6 pm during Lent. For those able to stay on this 30 minute service is followed by a one hour Lenten study in Bethlehem House.

Lent resources from textweek

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday (25th February 2009) marks the beginning of Lent and falls on the Wednesday after Transfiguration Sunday. It derives its name from the custom of placing ashes on the foreheads of believers as a sign of repentance.

Using ashes as a sign of repentance is an ancient custom which is often mentioned in the Bible (e.g., Jonah 3:5-9; Job 42:6; Jeremiah 6:26; Matthew 11:21). The early Christians adopted the use of ashes from this Jewish practice as an external mark of penitence.

Ashes symbolize several aspects of our human existence:

  • Ashes remind us of God's condemnation of sin. God said to Adam, ‘Dust you are and to dust you shall return’ (Genesis 3:19).
  • Ashes suggest cleansing and renewal. In years gone by they were used instead of soap. On Ash Wednesday ashes are a substitute for water as a reminder of our baptism.
  • Ashes remind us of the brevity of human life. Burial services often include the words ‘Earth to earth, dust to dust, ashes to ashes.’
  • Ashes are a symbol of our need to repent, confess our sins, and obey God.

The ashes used are gathered after the palm crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. Those who wish to receive the ashes come forward. Ashes are applied (or imposed) with the pastor’s thumb in the form of a small cross on the forehead of each person with the words: ‘Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.’

Ash Wednesday resources from textweek

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is the sixth and last Sunday in Lent, on Sunday April 5 in 2009. We remember the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem through the crowds gathered for the Jewish Passover. People waved palm branches and hailed him as the messianic King.

The Gospels tell us that Jesus rode into the city on a donkey, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 and emphasizing the humility of his kingdom.

The irony of his acceptance as the new king by the crowds, who five days later demanded his execution, is a sobering reminder of our human tendency to want God on our own terms. Palm leaves tied into small crosses are handed to worshippers on Palm Sunday.

How to make palm crosses
Palm Sunday resources from textweek