Roberta Vriesema

I created these Advent banners for First Christian Reformed Church (now Water Street Church) in Guelph, Ontario, with a focus on the names of Christ: Week 1—Jesus, Light of the World; Week 2—Jesus the Shepherd; Week 3—Jesus, Prince of Peace; Week 4—Christ the King; Christmas Day—Jesus Immanuel. The layers of symbols in the banners are summarized below. These banners signify that what starts with Christ’s birth only comes to fulfillment through his death and resurrection. For our Easter service the banners for Christ the King and Jesus, Prince of Peace were reversed to form a cross. Also below are the outlines of the Advent worship series. Consider adapting the banner descriptions for each week’s Advent readings. Rev. David A. Tigchelaar provided the sermon notes.Roberta has graciously made her banner panel designs available for use and reproduction in church contexts. Downloadable images can be found in the resource section at the bottom of the article. These images can be used to create your own banners or as bulletin artwork. If the latter be sure to use this copyright statement: —Roberta Vriesema © 2023 ReformedWorship.org CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.Advent Banner Descriptions Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Christmas DayWeek 1: Jesus, Light of the WorldJesus, the light of the world, spoke into darkness. This banner visually alludes to the song “This Little Light of Mine” and is meant to represent followers of Christ today who themselves represent Christ. The flame also reminds us of the Holy Spirit. I chose the background color to gently suggest God’s hands—hands we can’t see, know, or even imagine—holding the world! The globe centers the geographic location of the church but should remind the viewer that the whole world is called by and belongs to our God.Week 2: Jesus the ShepherdThe central image of the shepherd connects Jesus’ coming to the Old Testament and conveys several truths about his identity as the shepherd of his church and our identity as members of the church. First, the banner alludes to welcome and calling. The shepherd’s hand is extended, but not visible, because we are the welcoming hands of Christ. The shepherd hook, while often described as a punishing tool, was actually meant for gentle guidance. The crook is deliberately bent outward so as not to hurt little lamb’s necks. This is a tool to guide, to direct, and to call us to the shepherd. The baby-blue background was meant to remind us of the outdoors, of sheep on the hills with the shepherds. During this week of Advent, our church explored how the Old Testament points toward the New and considered where we are present during our time of waiting in a post-resurrection world.Week 3: Jesus, Prince of PeaceA prince points to a king. A prince speaks of hope for more. Our Prince of Peace talks about a world restored and new. Thus, this banner has symbols of new life: Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches (John 15:5). The banner also includes a coronet, a symbol of royalty. The work of renewal comes through the Trinity, the work of God, Christ, and the Spirit. The Trinity is symbolized by the trefoil: the three and the one. The green symbolizes growth. The light-colored tree symbolizes newness.Week 4: Christ the KingThe banner for week four of Advent symbolizes the fulfillment of the previous week’s promises, yet in circular fashion, it also points directly to the week to come. The king’s crown has sharp edges to represent the nails and the sword piercing Christ on the cross. The red on those spikes point to the gruesome crucifixion. The purple jewels indicate royalty and wealth, and it connects visually to the manger banner hung on Christmas. The blue background represents the sky behind the crosses. The viewer’s position is on the hill of Golgotha, but looking up, toward heaven.Christ’s earthly crown was not made of gold and jewels, but of thorns—brutal, sharp, and causing real harm and pain. Those thorns also appear on the banner. Woven into the thorns is the ichthys, representing Christians. This is not a bumper-sticker ichthys, though; choosing to follow Christ isn’t a bumper-sticker promise. It’s a hard life with sharp edges. There is joy and salvation, but no promise of an easy road to follow. This banner juxtaposes the richness of God’s kingdom with the wealth of the cross and the sheer enormity of salvation’s cost.Christmas Day: ImmanuelThe manger is deliberately empty. Christ is no longer a baby. The promise started here, but it does not stay in this space. Jesus’s earthly life had a humble beginning, but not a simple one. God had put such marvelous plans in place that there was a guiding star leading to young Jesus. Whether scientifically understood or not, that star points to the awesome omniscience of our God! The purple in the banner alludes to royalty. The starlight alludes to God’s guidance and ties back to the candle used in the first week.Easter All of these banners and their symbolism also point beyond Advent—directly to the season of Lent, Good Friday, and Easter.At Christmas, the prince banner precedes the king banner, but when hung during the season leading up to and including Easter, the banners are reversed: now the prince banner is after the king banner. Hung this way, these two banners together form a cross, reminding Christ-followers that we are children of the King and called to mission. We are branches of the vine. In this arrangement, the thorns on the king banner become the vine on the prince banner. The dead wood of the king banner is renewed and reborn in the growing life depicted on the prince banner. Likewise, we are growing, doing, and being—in and through Christ’s work on the cross!In our church, on Easter each individual adds a flower to vases placed beneath these two banners. This gesture symbolizes the many kingdom workers being called from many places. The flowers represent us. The flowers are freely and individually given, and collectively they create a colorful, vibrant, and chaotic mess before the cross, just as we do. Like us, they direct the light back to God, the source of glory and of our salvation.Advent Worship Series: The Names of JesusWeek 1—Jesus, Light of the World Welcome and Announcements Come, Worship Our LordCall to Worship The Lord is my light and my salvation;   whom shall I fear?The Lord is the stronghold of my life;   of whom shall I be afraid?—Psalm 27:1 NRSVUESong “God of Mercy, God of Grace” LyteGod’s GreetingSong of Praise“Arise, Shine, for Your Light Is Come” (st. 1–2, 4–5) GlassAdvent Reading—Jesus is the Light of the WorldSong“Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” Wesley We Are Renewed in God’s GraceConfessionIn a dark world, we cry out to God, our light, for guidance and salvation. Join me in our time of confession using the words of Psalm 27 as a prayer:Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;   be gracious to me and answer me!“Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”   Your face, Lord, do I seek.    Do not hide your face from me.Do not turn your servant away in anger,   you who have been my help.Do not cast me off; do not forsake me,   O God of my salvation!If my father and mother forsake me,   the Lord will take me up.Teach me your way, O Lord,   and lead me on a level path   because of my enemies.Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,   for false witnesses have risen against me,   and they are breathing out violence.Silent prayerI believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord   in the land of the living.Wait for the Lord;   be strong, and let your heart take courage;   wait for the Lord!—Psalm 27:7–14 NRSVUEAssuranceHear and respond to the good news:The Lord is my light and my salvation;   whom shall I fear?The Lord is the stronghold of my life;   of whom shall I be afraid?When evildoers assail me   to devour my flesh—my adversaries and foes—   they shall stumble and fall.Though an army encamp against me,   my heart shall not fear;though war rise up against me,   yet I will be confident.One thing I asked of the Lord;   this I seek:to live in the house of the Lord   all the days of my life,to behold the beauty of the Lord,   and to inquire in his temple.—Psalm 27: 1–4 NRSVUESong of Assurance “Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Sky” WesleyPrayers of the PeopleOffering God Speaks through God’s WordScripture John 8:12–30Message “I Am the Light of the World”Sermon NotesHow has the life of Christ affected our world?What was the setting for this interchange between Jesus and the Sadducees?What did the Feast of the Tabernacles commemorate?How is the setting important in understanding the announcement of Christ in verse 12?What is Jesus saying when he introduces himself in this way?Light gives life: We will survive if we have shelter, food and water. But how is it that the light of Christ gives life?Light reveals: Christ’s light reveals truth, and the essential truth we must know is that without the light of Christ, we are enslaved by sin.Light guides: “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (v. 12).Light banishes fearResponding to the WordSong of Response “O Splendor of God’s Glory” (st. 1–3) Ambrose of MilanReadingYet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:Because of the Lord’s great lovewe are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.They are new every morning;great is your faithfulness.I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;therefore I will wait for him.”The Lord is good to those whose hope is inhim, to the one who seeks him;it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.—Lamentations 3:21–26 NIVSong “O Splendor of God’s Glory” (st. 4) Ambrose of MilanThe Lord’s SupperLive and Serve in God’s BlessingGod’s BlessingDoxology “Shine, Jesus, Shine” Kendrick  Week 2—Jesus, the Good ShepherdCome, Worship Our LordCall to Worship Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,   you who lead Joseph like a flock!You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth     before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.Stir up your might,   and come to save us!Restore us, O God;   let your face shine, that we may be saved.—Psalm 80:1–3 NRSVUESong “All People That on Earth Do Dwell” KetheGod’s GreetingSong of Praise “How Sweet the Name of Jesus” (st. 1, 3–5) NewtonAdvent Reading—Christ Is the Good ShepherdSong “O Shepherd, Hear and Lead Your Flock” Morgan We Are Renewed in God’s GraceConfessionAll we like sheep have gone astray;   we have all turned to our own way,and the Lord has laid on him   the iniquity of us all.—Isaiah 53:6 NRSVUE“O Lord, Hear My Prayer” (st. 1) TaizéAssurance Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”So he told them this parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.—Luke 15:1–7 NRSVUE“O Lord, Hear My Prayer” (st. 2) Taizé God Speaks Through God’s WordScriptureJohn 10:11–21Message “I Am the Good Shepherd”Sermon NotesI am sure that you can think of many Bible passages that use shepherding (tending a flock) as a metaphor for what God does for us. When Jesus said “I am the good shepherd,” he clearly is drawing his listeners’ hearts and minds to Old Testament passages such as Psalm 23 (“The Lord is my shepherd . . .”) or Psalm 100 (“Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”).David and Moses, two of the fathers of Israel, were very familiar with shepherds’ work. These two men give the people of Israel a glimpse of what a good shepherd will do. Ezekiel 34 depicts how some other shepherds of Israel cared for their flock—not well!Questions to consider:How does Christ exemplify a good shepherd?“I know my sheep,” Jesus says in John 10:14. How does God know you? What comfort does that bring?Jesus also says, “My sheep know me.” How does God reveal himself through creation? How has God revealed himself to you through God’s Word?There is one more way we see Christ as the good shepherd: “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . . . I lay down my life for the sheep. . . . No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:11, 15, 18). In Advent, we see the beginning of Christ’s emptying through the incarnation. This emptying begins at Christ’s birth and culminates in his death.What encouragement do you have knowing that Jesus is our good shepherd?What comfort or challenge does this give you as you seek to follow the Good Shepherd’s lead?Response to the WordSongs of Response Choir: “Gentle Shepherd” Gaither“Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us” Thrupp, LyteCongregational PrayerOffering/Offertory “The King of Love My Shepherd Is” Baker Live and Serve in God’s BlessingGod’s BlessingDoxology“Song of Hope” Schutmaat  Week 3—Jesus, Prince of PeaceCome, Worship Our LordCall to Worship Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,    for he will speak peace to his people,    to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,    that his glory may dwell in our land.Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;    righteousness and peace will kiss each other.Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,    and righteousness will look down from the sky.The Lord will give what is good,    and our land will yield its increase.Righteousness will go before him    and will make a path for his steps.—Psalm 85:8–13 NRSVUESong “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (st. 1–2) WesleyGod’s GreetingSong of Praise “All Earth Is Waiting” VaqueroAdvent Reading—Jesus: The Prince of PeaceSong“My Soul in Stillness Waits” HaugenWe Are Renewed in God’s Grace[During this time we shared our laments for the world’s brokenness, then our longing and vision for the future restoration of the world, before we entered a time of prayer. Following the prayer we heard God’s words of assurance.] God Speaks through God’s WordScripture Isaiah 9:6–7; John 14:27; John 16:33Message “Prince of Peace”Sermon NotesIsaiah’s prophecy of a coming child included the description that he would be the “Prince of Peace.” As we think about all the conflict in our world more than two thousand years after the birth of Christ, do you ever get discouraged that our world hasn’t realized more peace? Allow your heart to feel the sorrow of a broken world.In what ways do you experience fractures in the peace God intended for God’s world? I listed four ways we experience these fractures. Because of sin, we experience a lack of peace:within ourselveswith otherswith creationwith GodProvide some examples of each kind of brokenness.In various parts of Isaiah’s prophecy God addresses how each of these fractures will be healed by the longed-for Messiah. We know that there is an “already” and a “not yet” to this prophecy. How can we experience the peace God intends for humanity?We are called to discipline our minds. How is your mind shaped by news, entertainment, and other parts of this broken world? Do you ever experience despair? How can the voice of God speak to the voices in our head to bring us through these times of despair?Thinking and doing go hand in hand. How can you turn faithful thoughts into right actions that show God is moving you to obedience? How does thinking about God’s greatness and goodness help us experience peace in the midst of life’s troubles? Response to the WordSong of Response“Hark, the Glad Sound!” DoddridgeCongregational PrayerOffering/Offertory“Lord, Make Us Servants of Your Peace” Francis of Assisi, QuinnLive and Serve in God’s BlessingGod’s BlessingDoxology “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” (st. 3) Wesley  Week 4—Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of LordsCome, Worship our LordCall to Worship Let us worship and give honor to Jesus, the King of Kings. Give the king your justice, O God,    and your righteousness to a king’s son.May he judge your people with righteousness    and your poor with justice.May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,    and the hills, in righteousness.May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,    give deliverance to the needy,    and crush the oppressor.May all kings fall down before him,    all nations give him service.May he live while the sun endures    and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,    like showers that water the earth.In his days may righteousness flourish    and peace abound, until the moon is no more.May all kings fall down before him,    all nations give him service.For he delivers the needy when they call,    the poor and those who have no helper.He has pity on the weak and the needy    and saves the lives of the needy.From oppression and violence he redeems their life,    and precious is their blood in his sight.May his name endure forever,    his fame continue as long as the sun.Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,    who alone does wondrous things.Blessed be his glorious name forever;    may his glory fill the whole earth.                Amen and Amen.—from Psalm 72, arranged Bethany Besteman © 2026 ReformedWorship.org CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Opening Song “Joy to the World” (st. 1, 2, 4) WattsGod’s GreetingAdvent Reading—Jesus: King of KingsSong “Soon and Very Soon” CrouchWe Are Renewed in God’s GraceConfessionSong “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (st. 1, 4) NealePrayerAssurance of Christ’s ReturnSong “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (st. 6, 7) NealeSunday School Program“Mary’s Little Boy-Child” Hairston,“I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light” Thomerson“We Three Kings” HopkinsGod Speaks through God’s WordScripture Matthew 2:1–12; Colossians 1:15–23Message “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”Sermon NotesDescriptions of Jesus Christ as “king of the Jews” bookend the gospel of Matthew. At the beginning of Matthew, Magi are looking for “the one born king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2). At the end of Matthew, soldiers place a sign on Jesus’ cross reading: “THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Matthew 27:37). How does the rule of God differ from the rule of Herod?How do the birth, life, and death of Christ point to the kind of rule Christ will bring?How does the claim that Christ is King shape the way we live? Think of the phrase carpe diem—“seize the day.” How does the rule of God affect how we use time?We’ve sung the song “We Three Kings,” but those kings were most likely astrologers, not rulers. The Old Testament would have placed these gift givers outside the “tent” of God’s people. How does the fact that these were some of Christ’s first visitors reveal grace?Response to the WordSong of Response“Christ Is the King and He Shall Reign” Psalter 1912Congregational PrayerOffering/Offertory “Lord, You Were Rich Beyond All Splendor” HoughtonLive and Serve in God’s BlessingGod’s Blessing Summary of Isaiah 60Doxology “Jesus Shall Reign” (st. 1, 3, 5) Watts