First Lutheran Church announces Advent and Candlelight Compline services
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PARKERSBURG -- First Lutheran Church has announced its annual Advent and Candlelight Compline services
Advent services will be held on Sundays and Wednesdays from Nov. 30 through Dec. 24 at the First Lutheran Church, 1701 19th St., Parkersburg.
Sunday services are scheduled at 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. and Wednesday services will be held at noon and 7 p.m. A combined service will be held on Dec. 21 when the children will present their annual program.
Compline evening candlelight services, an annual favorite, will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesdays prior to Christmas on Dec. 3, 10, and 17. Compline services offer a time for quiet meditation in the candlelit setting of the sanctuary at First Lutheran.
The Rev. Ian B. Reid, senior pastor at First Lutheran, said evening Compline services were originally intended as the last prayer service of the day and date back to the Benedictine era, circa 480-550 A.D. They have become greatly anticipated during Advent at First Lutheran.
Compline services by candlelight last about 30 minutes and preserve the ancient traditions of simplicity, restfulness and timelessness of text and song.
Jesus is the light of the world and makes his grace known through the undeserved gifts of hope, peace, joy and love, Reid said. Using the devotional study "The Light of Grace," these four gifts will be the subjects of Reid's homilies at this year's Compline services.
All Advent noon and Compline evening services are open to the public. First Lutheran is handicapped-accessible and there is ample free parking adjacent to the church. For more information, call the church office at 304 428-6174.