将临期由圣诞节的前四个主日开始，是教会年历的起頭。Adv ent 源于拉丁
文”Adventus”，意即“将要来临”。这节期宣告耶稣的再来；我们再一次预备庆祝来临的圣诞，因祂不断的透过祂的话及祂的灵来到我们的心中，我们期待基督最终的胜利及再来。
每一年的将临期呼召信心社体预备耶稣的来临；在教会历史中一个预备的方式是操练禁食来等待。
主题包括：天使报喜，等待道成肉身的降临，预备庆祝救主来临，施洗约翰先知的声音，旧约的預言，确认基督的三个来临（基督已在道成肉身中来临，基督临在与我们的同在中，基督将要在末日时再來。）
将临期一般采用的礼仪颜色是紫色或蓝色。这个节期的视觉效果包括将临花圈。在花圈中摆放四根紫色蜡烛（或三根紫色及一根粉红色蜡烛），及一根在圣诞前夕或圣诞节点燃的白色蜡烛，象征基督。有些教会采用蓝色蜡烛以取代紫色，为了要分别大齋期及将临期。
每个将临期主日可在崇拜开始的时候，或读经前后点燃蜡烛。同时，可采用以下阅读引导会众思考并预备心迎接基督的来临。每次多点一根蜡烛，一直到四跟蜡烛都被点燃。最后，基督蜡烛（白色）可在圣诞前夕或圣诞节崇拜点燃.
Advent is a season of four weeks including four Sundays. Advent derives from the Lan adventus, which means “coming”. The season proclaims the comings of the Christ – whose birth we prepare to celebrate once again, who comes connually in Word and Spirit,
and whose return in #nal victory we ancipate. Each year Advent calls the community of faith to prepare for these comings; historically, the season was marked by fasts forpreparaon.
Major themes include: the annunciaon, ancipaon of the incarnaon, preparaon to celebrate the coming of the Savior, prophec voice of John the Bapst, Old Testament prophec wrings, recognion of the three comings of Christ (Christ has come in the incarnaon, Christ is come in that his presence lives in and among us even now, and Christ will come at the end of the age).
Colours: Purple or blue. Visuals of the season may include an Advent wreath, an evergreen wreath with four purple candles (or 3 purple candles and a pink candle) and a central white Christ candle added on Christmas Eve/Day. Some churches use blue instead of purple candles to di4erenate between Lent and Advent.
Each Sunday of Advent may include the lighng of the Advent candles by an appointed person, usually during the Entrance/Gathering. Each Sunday one addional candle is lighted unl all four are lighted. The person lighng the candles or another person may say the words provided for each Sunday.
Three sets of examples are given below. The candles may be lighted during or a7er the reading of the scripture lessons or while a hymn is sung or appropriate words are spoken