Magnify the Lord with Joy that Overcomes Fear

Columbia’s beautiful Wreath Liturgy for 2025 is the work of many hands in the Columbia community. Each week a different guest writer prepared gathering words, scripture engagement, candle-lighting words, hymn verses, prayers, and closing acclamations.

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed
for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name;
indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation. (Luke 1:45-50)

Advent is a season of holy waiting—a sacred invitation to look for light in the shadows and to lift our voices with hope, courage, and joy. At the center of this year’s Columbia’s Advent Candle Liturgy is the Magnificat, Mary’s prophetic song of praise. This song is not a soft lullaby, but a bold declaration that God’s mercy upends the powers that harm, lifts the lowly, fills the hungry, and fulfills ancient promises. We hear it anew in our own time as both a word of comfort and a call to action.

Each week’s liturgy draws from the Revised Common Lectionary for Year A and pairs the readings with selected verses of O Come, O Come Emmanuel, from the Glory to God Hymnal (GTG #88). The verses are intentionally not in their traditional order, but chosen to echo the themes of the lectionary texts and the Magnificat. We invite you to be creative—feel free to reorder or substitute verses in ways that honor the unique context of your home, your congregation, and your community.

You may also want to consider using alternate stanzas by Maureen C. Tirabassi, which offer powerful contemporary language rooted in Advent hope. These can be found at: https://giftsinopenhands.wordpress.com

Come, make true the stories prophets tell –so all those chained by fear find release,
and, war forgotten, bring a world of peace.
Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel is come to birth where all God’s children dwell.
O Come, Love’s-season, to our lonely days, and guide us in our words and ways
to be the ones whose Advent begins, with healing earth and all that live within.
Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel is come to birth where all God’s children dwell.

With deep gratitude, we give thanks to the Columbia Theological Seminary community, President Victor Aloyo Jr., the Magnificat Circle, graphic creator Corie Cox, and each of the gifted contributors Rev. Alex Evangelista, Rev. Elizabeth C. Goodrich ’03, Rev. Rhonda M. Johnson, and Ms. Leemei Sophia Laktuhu who offered their voices, prayers, and prophetic imaginations to this resource.

May these words help communities across many places magnify the Lord with joy that overcomes fear, and may the Light of Christ meet us all with hope, peace, joy, and love.

— Rev. Shavon Starling-Louis ’13, Editor

Like the images? You may use them in your bulletins and church/organizational correspondence! These downloadable image files are stored on Photoshelter, so you will need to create an account to access them. They images are free to use for church-related, non-commercial purposes, with attribution to Columbia Theological Seminary. They may not be used for any commercial or for-profit venture.

Visit Columbia Theological Seminary’s complete Advent Resource Hub for more liturgy, art, music, lesson plans, and more!