A Service of Hanging of the Greens
Celebration Service
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE Chorale Prelude on “Stuttgart” Lee Bristol
LITANY OF THE GREENS
How can we prepare this house for the coming of Jesus, the King?
With branches of cedar, the tree of royalty
How shall we prepare this house for the coming of Jesus, the eternal Christ?
With garlands of wreaths of pine and fir, whose leaves are ever living,
ever green.
How shall we prepare this house for the coming of Jesus, our savior?
With arrangements of holly and ivy, symbolizing His passion, death
and resurrection.
How shall we prepare this house for the coming of Jesus, the Son of God?
By hearing again the words of the prophets who foretold the saving
work of God.
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
All Glory to God in the highest!
*INVOCATION
God of manger and star, let us enter your story once again and find ourselves kneeling with the shepherds, singing with the angels, and worshipping with the Magi. Touch our hearts with the wonder of birth, and the depths of your love. Speak to us in word and song and lift us to the realms of glory. Amen.
CAROL No. 83 “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”
1 Come, thou long-expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us;
let us find our rest in thee.
2 Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.
3 Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a king,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
4 By thine own eternal Spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all-sufficient merit
raise us to thy glorious throne.
PARAMENTS Eric Campo
Isaiah 40:3-5
A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
NARRATIVE
We have placed the Advent paraments, which are purple, a royal color to remind us of the King of Kings, who came to be the “Light of the Word.”
Placement of Paraments
CAROL No. 87 “Comfort, Comfort Now My People” vs. 1-3
1 “Comfort, comfort now my people;
tell of peace!” So says our God.
“Comfort those who sit in darkness
mourning under sorrow’s load.
To my people now proclaim
that my pardon waits for them!
Tell them that their sins I cover,
and their warfare now is over.”
2 For the herald’s voice is crying
in the desert far and near,
calling us to true repentance,
since the reign of God is here.
O, that warning cry obey!
Now prepare for God a way.
Let the valleys rise in meeting
and the hills bow down in greeting.
3 Straight shall be what long was crooked,
and the rougher places plain.
Let your hearts be true and humble,
as befits God’s holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord
now on earth is shed abroad,
and all flesh shall see the token
that God’s word is never broken.
ADVENT WREATH Scott Kintzing
Jeremiah 23:5-6
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
NARRATIVE
The Advent Wreath is a vivid symbol of preparation. The lighting of a new candle each of the four weeks before Christmas reminds us that something is happening, but more is yet to come. The circle of evergreens reminds us of the everlasting covenant offered in the birth of Jesus. The four candles symbolize HOPE, PEACE, JOY AND LOVE. Today, we light the first candle as a symbol of Christ, our HOPE. May the light sent from God shine in the darkness to show us the way of salvation.
Placement of Candles
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES
Advent Wreath Week 1 – B
December 3 – HOPE
Reader 1: Watch and wait for Christ’s coming!
We light candles of hope, peace, joy, and love, remembering the promises of God with prayer.
Hear these words from the prophet Isaiah:
The Lord shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
We light this candle in hope. Light 1 purple candle
Reader 2: Let us pray…
God, we ask that you prepare our bodies, prepare our minds, and prepare our hearts for your coming to this world. Take root, grow within us, and blossom for all to see. As the Psalmist proclaims, “Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved.” Your kingdom come; your will be done. Let us walk in the light of the Lord. Amen.
ANTHEM “The Winter Rose”
Joseph Martin
WREATHS AND GARLAND Linda Blackwell
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, among them a light has shined. For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given. And the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
NARRATIVE
From ancient times, evergreen have been considered a symbol of eternity, a sign of God’s everlasting nature. Isaiah tells us that there will be no end to the reign of the Messiah. Therefore, we hang wreaths shaped in circles and place garlands of green, as a sign of everlasting life. These symbols of Christ’s gift of eternal life and of the celebration of Christmas itself.
Placement of Garland
CAROL No. 109 “Bless Be the God of Israel”
1 Blest be the God of Israel,
who comes to set us free;
who visits and redeems us,
who grants us liberty.
The prophets spoke of mercy,
of freedom and release;
God shall fulfill that promise
and bring the people peace.
2 God from the house of David
a child of grace has given;
a Savior comes among us
to raise us up to heaven.
Before him goes the herald,
forerunner in the way,
the prophet of salvation,
the harbinger of day.
3 On those who sit in darkness
the sun begins to rise,
the dawning of forgiveness
upon the sinner’s eyes.
God guides the feet of pilgrims
along the paths of peace.
O bless our God and Savior
with songs that never cease!
HOLY AND IVY Karen Criscillo
Isaiah 53:3a 4a, 5-6
He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account. Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. All 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.
NARRATIVE
For Christians, this passage from Isaiah reflects the suffering of Jesus, who saved us from our sins by His death on the cross, and by His resurrection from the dead. In ancient times, holly and ivy were considered signs of Christ’s passion. Their prickly leaves suggest the crown of thorns, the red berries the blood of the Savior, and the bitter bark the drink offered to Jesus on the cross. As we place the holly and the ivy, let us rejoice in the coming of Jesus our Savior
Placement of Wreaths
ANTHEM “The Holy and the Ivy” Traditional
POINSETTIA J.T. Hill
Numbers 24:17
I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near …a star shall come out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.
NARRATIVE
The poinsettia speaks to us symbolically in several ways. The star- shaped formation of ten leaves calls to mind the star which shone that first Christmas. In a less joyous sense, the color of the flower is blood red, reminding us of the male infants killed because King Herod wanted to eliminate any threat to his throne. We sometimes forget this part of the story, which made it necessary for Mary, Joseph, and the Christ Child to flee to Egypt.
Placement of Poinsettias
CAROL No. 97 “Watchmen, Tell Us of the Night”
1 Watchman, tell us of the night,
what its signs of promise are.
Traveler, what a wondrous sight:
see that glory-beaming star.
Watchman, does its beauteous ray
news of joy or hope foretell?
Traveler, yes; it brings the day,
promised day of Israel.
MANGER Wendy Hill
Luke 2:6-7
And while they were there the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the Inn.
NARRATIVE
The manger or crèche is placed as a reminder that Jesus Christ was born in the humblest of places, because humankind would not make room in their heart to hold the Son of God. Jesus, who was born in this most modest beginning, has compassion on all God’s children – from the humblest to the richest.
Placement of Creche
ANTHEM “Breath of Heaven” Nina Lopes, soloist
CAROLING Chip MacDonald
Psalm 96: 1-4a, 6
O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth, Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples. For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
NARRATIVE
The singing of carols is one of the greatest joys of the season. Please remain seated as we sing the carols listed below.CAROLS
No. 143 “Angels from the Realms of Glory” vs. 1 & 4
1 Angels, from the realms of glory,
wing your flight o’er all the earth;
you, who sang creation’s story,
now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn king!
4 All creation, join in praising
God the Father, Spirit, Son,
evermore your voices raising
to the eternal Three in One:
come and worship, come and worship,
worship Christ, the newborn king!
No. 133 “O Come All Ye Faithful” v. 1
1 O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant;
O come ye; O come ye to Bethlehem!
Come, and behold him,
born the King of angels!
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him;
O come, let us adore him,
Christ, the Lord!
EVERGREEN TREE Don Tatham
Micah 5:2, 4
But you, O Bethlehem, from you shall come forth one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from ancient days. And He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they shall live secure, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth; and He shall be the one of peace.
NARRATIVE
In ancient times the cedar was revered as the tree of royalty. It also signified immortality and was used for purification. We have placed this tree in the sanctuary as a symbol of Christ, who reigns as King forever, and whose coming will purify our hearts.
Placement of Chrismons
ANTHEM “Lift Up Your Head”
Joseph Martin
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
Invitation
God’s Banquet is coming. The time we await when all will gather from North, East, West, and South. A banquet where the rich and powerful will sit with the weak and poverty-stricken. A table where young and old will learn from each other. A time when all will sit together in peace, “and the wolf will lie down with the lamb”. Here at this table, we get a foretaste of God’s banquet. This is indeed God’s table, not the church’s, and so all who seek to follow The Way are welcome to eat and drink from it. Come and taste the grace eternal, come, and see that God is good.
The Great Thanksgiving
Creator God, who in the beginning brought light and life to the world and who continues to bring it love and light everlasting. Your song of wisdom echoes through the ages, your ancient promise still brings us hope. Over the ages you have called people to embrace your hope and share your love. But even when they have closed their ears to the song you did not stop singing. You sent prophets and messengers to your people, reminding them of the promised time of peace and justice that would surround the world.
They came in the midst of our despair and filled us with hope. And then you came to a young woman named Mary and laid out the promise in a new way Promising her a son, who would be called Jesus Promising her that in her son the world would be changed and now as we prepare for that child to be born, we echo the ancient cry: O come, O come Emmanuel.
The Story Remembered
Yet even now, as we prepare to celebrate his birth, we remember the life that this baby will live. We remember how he broke the bonds of human tradition to show all what the Banquet of Hope could be as he ate openly with the despised and the outcast of his world.
And we remember one special meal, foretaste of the banquet that is to come, that he ate with his closest friends. Gathering them together in an upper room to share the story of liberation, he prepared them for liberation. And at the end of the meal, he took bread, blessed, and broke it, then passed it to them saying: Take and eat. This bread is the body of Life, broken by the world. Eat it in remembrance and in hope.
After that he took the cup, blessed it, and passed it to them saying:
This cup is the sign of the New Covenant. Whenever you drink it remember me, for I shall not eat or drink again until the time of the heavenly banquet.
Remembering the birth of the child in the stable, we remember also his life, his death, and his resurrection. We remember how he poured his love out all he met and look forward to his return and the coming reign of peace, love, and justice.
And in our remembering, we proclaim the mystery of faith
Christ has died and Christ is risen,
Christ will come again!
The Spirit Transforms
God, you poured your Spirit on Mary, and she sang words of defiance and hope. Pour out your Spirit upon us gathered here. As we eat and drink may we know your presence. As we eat and drink may we be opened to the possibilities of your hope and power and may we be strengthened in our time of waiting for peace and justice so that we will have the courage to make the Christmas promise a reality.
And now, as beloved children of a loving Parent, we pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…
The Pouring and Breaking and Serving
The Bread we break is the Bread of Life
The Cup we Share is the Cup of Promise
These are the gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God. Come and eat, the banquet awaits.
Elders Serve Communion
Prayer Following Communion
God of pregnant expectations, God of Christmas promise, God of child-like hope, we have eaten and drunk from your table. May the eating and the drinking fill us with hope in a world of despair. May we be beacons of hope as we wait for the day when the world will be changed. Grant that this taste of your banquet which is to come would give us the hunger for peace and justice in our community and around the world. Amen
TREE LIGHTING Dean Sommers
John 1: 1-5, 9-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the Beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and without Him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in Him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to what was His own, and His own people did not accept Him. But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God, who were born not of the blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen His glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
NARRATIVE
As our final preparation for the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World, we will light the Chrismon tree. And in this time of Advent, whenever you see a lighted tree, let it call to mind the One who brings light into our darkness, healing in our brokenness, and peace to all who will receive Him. May this tree, arrayed in beauty and splendor, remind us of the life-giving cross of Christ, that we may always rejoice in the new life that shines in hearts.
Lighting of Trees
*CAROL No. 105 “People Look East”
1 People, look east. The time is near
of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able;
trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Guest, is on the way.
2 Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
one more seed is planted there.
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
that in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Rose, is on the way.
3 Birds, though you long have ceased to build,
guard the nest that must be filled.
Even the hour when wings are frozen
God for fledging time has chosen.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Bird, is on the way.
4 Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
one more light the bowl shall brim,
shining beyond the frosty weather,
bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Star, is on the way.
5 Angels, announce with shouts of mirth
Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming
with the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.
ANOUNCEMENTS
OFFERING OF TITHES & OFFERINGS
“All things in heaven and earth belong to God, who is coming in glory to reveal a new creation.” Let us present our tithes and offerings to the Lord.
*DOXOLOGY N0. 609 “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow”
Praise God, from whom all blessing flow, Praise God, all creatures here below. Alleluia, Alleluia Praise God in Jesus fully known; Creator, Word, and Spirit one. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
*PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Christ calls us to live generous and grateful lives. Take these gifts we of- fer today, O God, and use them to the fulfillment of Christ’s ministry. May these gifts help to free the captives, heal the sick, comfort the lonely, feed the hungry, heal the wounded. As Christ’s hands and feet, use us too, in service to building your beloved community. Amen.
*CAROL No. 106 “Prepare the Way, O Zion”
1 Prepare the way, O Zion,
your Christ is drawing near!
Let every hill and valley
a level way appear.
Greet One who comes in glory,
foretold in sacred story.
Refrain:
O blest is Christ who came
in God’s most holy name.
2 He brings God’s rule, O Zion;
he comes from heaven above.
His rule is peace and freedom,
and justice, truth, and love.
Lift high your praise resounding,
for grace and joy abounding.
Refrain:
O blest is Christ who came
in God’s most holy name.
3 Fling wide your gates, O Zion;
your Savior’s rule embrace,
and tidings of salvation
proclaim in every place.
All lands will bow rejoicing,
their adoration voicing.
Refrain:
O blest is Christ who came
in God’s most holy name.
*BENEDICTION
Go forth from this place an awakened people, aware of the world’s darkness, yet reaching for the light.
We see God at work in our world, and that makes all the difference.
Go forth from this place an expectant people, conscious of judgment in our midst, yet welcoming God’s new order and justice.
We welcome God’s new day, believing that Christ will set us free.
Go forth from this place a serving people, sensing anew the pain so many bear, yet confident God will bring healing, even through you.
We open ourselves as channels of God’s grace, for we have heard good news and we have been empowered to share it.
May the God of peace be with us all, this season and forever.
____________________ PARAMENTS Isaiah 40:3-5
NARRATIVE
____________________ WREATH Jeremiah 23:5-6
NARRATIVE
____________________ WREATHS AND GARLAND Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
NARRATIVE
____________________ HOLY AND IVY Isaiah 53:3a 4a, 5-6
NARRATIVE
____________________ POINSETTIA Numbers 24:17
NARRATIVE
____________________ MANGER Luke 2:6-7
NARRATIVE
____________________ CAROLING Psalm 96: 1-4a, 6
NARRATIVE
____________________ EVERGREEN TREE Micah 5:2, 4
NARRATIVE
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
____________________ TREE LIGHTING John 1: 1-5, 9-14
NARRATIVE
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