Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The entire community is invited to gather for a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at Elizabeth Baptist Church. The program begins at 6 p.m., and the church is located at 4124 Bassett Dairy Rd. in Monticello.
Christmas Eve falls on one of the longest nights of the year, and church programs then often include candlelight. Candlelight services are intended to be a way for groups of people, large or small, to quietly reflect, pray together and illuminate a feeling of shared faith. When candles are lit, one by one, it can be symbolic of spreading a message from one person to another – in this case the tidings of great joy that are part of the Christmas story.
Candlelight services are naturally calming and comforting, as glowing candles unify the group standing with darkness all around. In Christianity, the candle is a symbol of the light of Christ coming into a dark and despairing world. The candle's glow represents the holiness, goodness, knowledge, wisdom, grace, hope and revelation of God through Jesus.
For more information about the candlelight service on Saturday, Dec. 24, at 6 p.m. at Elizabeth Baptist Church, call (850) 997-8444.