Calendar & News

Calendar & News

11/28/2011

A New Color for Advent?

In the Christian tradition, colors are used for banners, vestments (clergy stoles and robes), and paraments (cloth hangings on the pulpit and lectern). The colors call attention to the season of the church year or special religious festival. However, a unified system of colors has developed only gradually and there are still slight variances among different Christian traditions.

The Christian year begins with Advent, and for many years Westminster (like many churches) has used the color purple. However, in recent years the color blue has been making a comeback (it has been used in some Christian traditions since the Middle Ages). We have decided to begin using blue during Advent (the four weeks leading to Christmas) to distinguish this season from the season of Lent (the 40 days leading to Easter) and because of its focus on hope.

Here is a quick guide to what the different colors represent and when we use them:

  • PURPLE is a reference to royalty, preparation, and penitence. Many churches use purple for both Advent and Lent.
  • BLUE is a reference to hope. It is increasingly used by churches during Advent to distinguish this liturgical season from Lent. Advent texts focus on the hope that is inspired by the coming of Christ.
  • WHITE is used as a reference to perfection, purity, and joy. It is used for the seasons of Christmas and Easter. It is also used for the Day of Epiphany, the Baptism of our Lord Sunday, Transfiguration Sunday, and Christ the King Sunday.
  • RED is used as a reference to the tongues of fire that descended on the followers of Jesus on Pentecost. It is used on the Day of Pentecost and ordination services for clergy.
  • GREEN is a reference to our growth in faith and is used during Ordinary Time, which is all time that is not designated as a special season or festival of the church.