At home with the Advent wreath

The lighting of an Advent wreath as a countdown to Christmas has become so globally popular that Venezuelan newspapers run articles explaining it as a “Catholic custom.” This is a matter of some debate, as many sources trace it back to the Lutheran Reformation. Roman Catholic apologists agree that it began in Germany, but claim it originated earlier in the Middle Ages. The mystery arises from the fact that the Advent wreath originated as a form of family devotion, not as a rite of public worship. Lighting the wreath as we know it today did not become a widespread practice outside of Germany until the 19th and early 20th centuries, with the tide of Germans fleeing political conflicts and economic difficulties in their homeland. Only then was it incorporated into Advent services in churches of nearly every denomination. That is how I explained it to our afterschool students and youth of our congregation, drawing a comparison of how the migration of Venezuelans is dispersing Venezuelan customs throughout the world. Also, I emphasized the importance of Bible reading and prayer in the home, not just in the building designated as a house of worship. 

 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7 is a classic verse that illustrates the importance of family devotions in the Christian life. So is Ephesians 6:4, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Although the parental duty is set forth in terms of the father’s obligation, yet the mother’s rule and responsibility, being included in that of the husband, is just as strongly enjoined. St. Paul, in 1 Timothy 1:5, commends Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice, for raising Timothy in the faith despite the lack of a faithful father. In Timothy 2:15, the apostle says again that Timothy is fortunate in “that from childhood  known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

With the assistance of Luz Maria’s sister, Rosaura, we presented a special workshop for all the young people in making Advent wreaths for the home. 

A tradition of Christian education

Luz Maria and I are grateful for the opportunity to speak via Zoom on December 4, 2025, to the students of Deshler Lutheran School, Deshler, Nebraska. Our special thanks to principal Todd Voss; Brian Francik, pastor of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Deshler; and José Flores, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Friedensau, Nebraska. Deshler Lutheran School is one part of the ministry conducted by St. Peter-Deshler and TrinityFriedensau. Both congregations have a rich tradition of providing Christ-centered education. Trinity Lutheran at Freidensau called the first teacher to the Nebraska District in 1879. St. Peter's Lutheran School was established in 1889. In 1966, Trinity-Friedensau and Bethlehem Lutheran Church of Kiowa joined with St. Peter's-Deshler to form the Deshler Lutheran School Association using the 1953 building and grounds in Deshler for its campus. Trinity-Friedensau celebrated its 150th anniversary last year. I attended the centennial anniversary in 1974 which featured my father’s older brother, the Rev. Alfred Ernst, as guest speaker. My great-grandfather, Henry Schabacker, so far holds the longest tenure as pastor of Trinity-Friedensau, having served for more than 30 years. His daughter, Theodora Amanda, married my grandfather, David Julius Ernst, who was the sole teacher in the parochial school and also church organist.

Like grandmother, like granddaughter

While we celebrated the first Sunday of Advent in La Caramuca on November 30, 2025, Oriana Montoya, Luz Maria's granddaughter, was consecrated as a deaconess at Jesus of Los Olivos Lutheran Church in Lima, Peru. Oriana was baptized February 15, 2003, at Corpus Christi Lutheran Church, Barinas, and took first communion October 28, 2012, at Epiphany Lutheran Church of La Caramuca. She graduated from our preschool and was active in the Epiphany youth group. She represented our mission at the national youth gathering of the Lutheran Church of Venezuela in 2016. After moving to Peru in 2017, Oriana enrolled in and graduated from the deaconess program offered by Concordia El Reformador in the Dominican Republic.