Lutheran Church of Mahomet, The Invitation Advent Newsletter 2017 | Página 2

SEASONS IN COLOR The Church year is bursting with colors. Each one is full of symbolism to help guide our minds to the meaning of every season. THE COLORS OF THE CHURCH As we look forward to a new church year with the coming of Advent, it is appro- priate to take a fresh look at the colors used in each of the seasons. The colors serve to adorn the worship space, and to call attention to the nature of the sea- son or festival being celebrated. In the Christian tradition, colors are used for vestments, paraments, and banners, but a unified system of colors developed only gradually until the Mid- dle Ages. Today, the ELCA provides a system of colors for use by its congrega- tions; for the most part, the same sys- tem is also used by Roman and Anglican churches, at least in the United States; and by many churches around the world. Many of the colors associated with the seasons are closely linked with the expe- rience of Christians in the Northern hemisphere. Christians in the Southern hemisphere will experience the church year differently in that context, perhaps calling forth different color associations. It is also helpful to realize that colors have different associations across the globe. For example, white is the color North American and European Chris- tians typically associate with Christmas and Easter, the color white signifying the purity of Christ, light or joy. In many Eastern cultures, however, white con- notes mourning. Red, associated with energy, blood or fire among other things in Western culture, is the color associat- ed with purity in India.