View the lighting of the Advent candle week three in this video.

Rev. Teresa Person leads the Advent devotional at Riverview UMC. Photos courtesy of Pastor Teresa.

If you drive by Riverview United Methodist Church in Huron, South Dakota on a Sunday evening you will see four-six feet tall candles glowing and people gathered in the parking lot, some huddled around fire pits. It is a beacon of light for a community that is feeling the pain of isolation and loss from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outside of the church building there are tall pillar candles in a circle forming the Advent candles. The candles were built Chris Person, husband of Rev. Teresa Person, who serves Riverview UMC.

“The idea came from one of my clergy colleagues on Facebook,” says Rev. Person. “When the COVID numbers grew we were looking for a way to connect with each other. The idea of gathering in the parking lot each week to light the Advent candle was a way for us to gather safely and see one another.”

Each Sunday night of Advent, at 6 p.m., people gather. They bring their lawn chairs, fire pits, and hot cocoa. Some people just drive up and stay in their car in the parking lot. The congregation has an FM transmitter, and people tune into a channel to participate in a 20-minute devotional service.

The Advent service includes an extension of the message from Sunday worship, a reflection, the lighting of the candle(s), and singing of Christmas carols.

“I have been focusing on my messages each Sunday on the book, Incarnation: Rediscovering the Significance of Christmas by Adam Hamilton, says Pastor Teresa. “The message from worship on Sunday is extended to the Advent devotion on Sunday night. People are really connecting with the message and each other.”

Rev. Person spends a brief time sharing a personal connection as part of the devotional followed by the lighting of the outdoor Advent candles. Everyone joins in singing few Christmas carols. The singing happens acapella, led by Pastor Teresa, who has a gift for music.

The weekly outdoor Advent service is live on Riverview UMC’s Facebook page. There have been 600 plus views each week including people beyond the members of the congregation. View week one and week two of the Riverview UMC's  Advent services.
 

People gather around fire pits at Riverview UMC's weekly Advent service.

“We have people coming to participate who are not members of our congregation. I have had people send me messages thanking me for the opportunity. They enjoy the opportunity to gather and love the light,” says Person.

Riverview UMC will have an expanded version of the outdoor candle lighting on Christmas Eve.  The plan is to hold a 30-minute service outdoors. People can participate from their vehicles or can bring blankets, lawn chairs and fire pits. The service will include some musicians performing, in a viewable range from the Narthex of the church building. Those gathered will have glow sticks and sing Silent Night as part of the service.

“We want to provide this opportunity to celebrate Christmas for our congregation and for the entire community,” says Pastor Teresa. “We have had some people suggest that this, in a way, is like tailgating for Jesus.”