Lutheran Church of Mahomet, The Invitation Advent Newsletter 2017 | Page 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.