Advent and Christmas
Daily Advent and Christmas Devotions
Weekly Advent and Christmas “Rhythm and Word” Videos
Memorial Gifts for Christmas Flowers
Christmas Wishes for Tutoring Students
Fair Trade Bazaar
Light Up a Life
Caroling on Michigan Avenue
Holiday Concerts
Festival of Advent Lessons and Carols
Christmas Cantata
“Longest Night” Service
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
New Year’s Eve
Daily Advent and Christmas Devotions
The season of Advent is not simply about readying ourselves for the observances of Christmas but about setting aside time to prepare our hearts and lives to receive the gift that comes to us in the stable.
Thus on this Advent journey, we invite you to join with us in using our Advent devotions, which are written by members and staff of Fourth Church.
Daily Advent — and Christmas — devotions are available in a variety of ways:
Via email: Sign up by clicking here (or send addresses to devotions@fourthchurch.org)
Facebook | Twitter | On our website
Weekly “Rhythm and Word” Videos
Also available for your reflection during the Advent and Christmas seasons are our “Rhythm and Word” video series. These 15-minute worship experiences, which weave together scripture, prayer, and music, are released on our YouTube channel on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m.
To receive notification when new videos are released, subscribe to our YouTube channel, or sign up at www.bit.ly/rhythmandwordemail to receive the videos by email.
Memorial Gifts for Christmas Flowers
Each year we are invited to recognize those who are special in our life by making contributions toward the purchase of Christmas flowers, wreaths, and garland to decorate the Sanctuary and Buchanan Chapel. The names of those honored or remembered by the gifts are printed in the Christmas bulletin.
We invite you to look for information in November 2023 about the opportunity to remember loved ones through gifts toward Christmas flowers and wreaths.
Christmas Wishes
Each year Women at Fourth coordinates our Christmas Wishes project, which provides gifts for Chicago Lights Tutoring students. In 2022 we collected gift cards for the students and used monetary contributions to purchase a book for each of them.
While Christmas Wishes has wrapped up for this year, you can support the work of the Tutoring program year-round by giving a gift to Chicago Lights.
Fair Trade Bazaar
Our annual Fair Trade Bazaar — being held online again in 2022 — offers opportunity to cross off some gifts on your holiday to-buy list while shopping for a difference.
Light Up a Life
In response to God’s gift to us, we too seek to give to others in this season, to share the love that came down at Christmas. One way we can share that Christmas joy is through the “Light Up a Life”offering.
Gifts to this offering provide funds for Fourth Church programs that support our neighbors and congregation; the Chicago Lights Social Service Center; and the Presbyterian Church (USA) Joy Offering, which supports current and retired church workers as well as leadership development for communities of color.
Gifts can be made online, selecting “Light Up a Life” in the Designations field.
Caroling on Michigan Avenue
On the Saturday before Thanksgiving we carol on the Sanctuary steps prior to the Tree-Lighting Parade, part of the annual Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. As we sing in the season we spread holiday cheer to those gathered for the Michigan Avenue festivities!
Holiday Concerts
The sounds of music fill Fourth Church each December, from “A Chanticleer Christmas” to “Christmas with Tower Brass.” If you are looking for a musical treat to add to your holiday celebrations, you can find a variety of in-person opportunities on our concert calendar!
Festival of Advent Lessons and Music
Each Advent we gather on a Sunday evening to hear the music and readings of the season that recall the promises of God throughout the ages and lead us on our journey to the manger.
You can watch the video of the 2022 service online.
“Longest Night” Service
Held on a weeknight the week prior to Christmas — typically on a night close to the longest night of the year, December 21 — this worship opportunity, which is also known as a “Blue Christmas” service, acknowledges that grief, loss, struggles, and darkness can make it difficult to share in the traditional joyous celebrations of Christmas.
Christmas Cantata
On the fourth Sunday of Advent as we begin to look toward Christmas, the Morning Choir sings a Christmas cantata during our morning worship service. In 2022, the choir and Tower Brass presented Gloria by John Rutter.
Christmas Eve Services
On Christmas Eve we typically gather for four candlelight services:
4:00 p.m. Children’s Pageant
6:00 p.m. Family Service
8:00 p.m. Service of Lessons and Carols
10:00 p.m. Service of Lessons and Carols
Identical to the 8:00 service
You can watch the video of the 2022 Lessons and Carols service online.
Christmas Day Service
On Christmas morning we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with this festive service.
You can watch the video of the 2022 Christmas Day service online.
New Year’s Eve Taizé Service
December 31 • 7:30 p.m.
In Buchanan Chapel; in person only
At the turning of the year we come together with neighbors for our annual New Year’s Eve service in the style of Taizé.
This quiet evening service in Buchanan Chapel offers moving music, space for prayer, and meditative pause for reflecting on the year past and looking ahead to the year to come.
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