by Catherine MacDonald (thank you, Catherine!)
Candle-lighting song for the weeks of Advent
(Hope, Peace, Joy and Love theme)
Candle Light, Sacred Light - Tune - Silent Night
(Advent Sunday #1)
Candle light, sacred light.
Mystery flames, burning bright
We are waiting for Jesus' new birth.
Shine his hope over all of the earth.
Thanks for the gift of hope, thanks for the gift of hope.
(Advent Sunday #2)
Candle light, sacred light.
Mystery flames, burning bright
We are waiting for Jesus' new birth.
Shine his peace over all of the earth
Thanks for the gift of peace, thanks for the gift of peace.
(Advent Sunday #3)
Candle light, sacred light.
Mystery flames, burning bright
We are waiting for Jesus' new birth.
Shine his joy over all of the earth.
Thanks for the gift of joy, thanks for the gift of joy.
(Advent Sunday #4)
Candle light, sacred light.
Mystery flames, burning bright
We are waiting for Jesus' new birth.
Shine his love over all of the earth.
Thanks for the gift of love, thanks for the gift of love.
(Christmas Eve)
Candle light, sacred light.
Mystery flames, burning bright
Hope, joy and peace are the gifts of this night.
Love poured out over all within sight.
Shine your light in our world; shine your light in our world
© Catherine MacDonald 2006 (full permission given to use with acknowledgement)
Pastor in United Church of Canada
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Saturday, October 9, 2010
"Resource Lists for Advent Ideas"
Book Resource List – Creative Worship for Advent
•Visuals for Worship
By Elizabeth Steele Halstead Publisher: Faith Alive Christian Resources
ISBN: 1-59255-230-7
The original purchaser has permission to use the artwork in the book and CD without charge or further permission with this line, “Linoleum block prints by Elizabeth Steele Halstead. Reprinted by permission from Visuals for Worship, © 2006, Faith Alive Resources.”
• Just In Time (series)! – Advent Services by David G. Rogne
Publisher: Abingdon Press ISBN -13: 978-0-687-46581-1
Ready-to-use worship and preaching resources for the four Sundays of Advent, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Includes biblically-based sermons, suggested Scriptures, hymns, and prayers as well as litanies for lighting the Advent wreath.
• Cloth For The Cradle by The Wild Goose Worship Group
Publisher: Wild Goose Publications (The Iona Community)
ISBN 1-901557-01-4
Contains a wealth of different types of worship resources: litanies, meditations, monologues, poems prayers, readings, scripts and symbolic actions.
• Teaching & Celebrating the Christian Seasons by Delia Halverson
Publisher: Chalice Press
ISBN-13:978-0-827236-41-7 ISBN-10: 0-827236-41-7
A spiritually enriching resource that helps pastors, worship leaders, and Christian
educators understand and incorporate into the life of the church the symbols, and
practices of the church year. Contains ideas on Advent and Christmas as well as the other seasons of the church year.
• Season of Light and Hope by Blair Gilmer Meeks
Publisher: Abingdon Press ISBN 0-687-34234-1
A treasury of scripture-based prayers, liturgies and other worship aids to enrich worship from the First Sunday of Advent through the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord. Contains corporation prayers and liturgies for each Sunday in the Advent and Christmas seasons, and prayers and liturgies for other worship celebrations related to Christmas. Also contains Service for Healing and Hope.
(Note: there is a book for Lent/Easter/Pentecost as well called “Season of Ash and Fire”)
• Preaching and Worshiping in Advent, Christmas and Epiphany
Editor: Cynthia Gasden Publisher: Abingdon Press
ISBN 0-687-35223-1 Includes Years/Cycles A, B and C
One-volume lectionary resource providing brief preaching commentaries and prayers for worship for the Sundays of Advent through Epiphany for all three cycles of the lectionary. Three commentaries are provided for each Sunday in Advent, one or more for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, three for the Sundays after Christmas and one or more for Epiphany in all cycles. Prayers for worship are included for each Sunday or special day. These may include calls to prayer, pastoral prayers, responsive prayers or benedictions.
• Lectionary Worship Aids Series VIII / Cycle A – Cradled in God’s Heart
by Rev. Thom M. Shuman Publisher: CSS Publishing Company
ISBN-10: 0-7880-2456-6 ISBN-13: 978-0-7880-24566
Thom Shuman provides a wide range of responsive and pastoral prayers that are sure to help busy pastors and worship planners strike the perfect chord in developing their own services. Shuman’s poetic prayers are filled with vivid imagery that reminds us of God’s all-encompassing love and forgiveness. He helps link the Holy with the mundane realities of modern existence.
• Kneeling in Bethlehem by Ann Weems
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press ISBN 0-664-21323-5
Reflections on the mystery of the Christmas season through 26 new poems as well as pieces from previous writings. Ann Weems leads the reader to think about the season’s events in a creative and powerful way. She writes out of the conviction that “each of us awaits expectantly the birth of Christ in this place, this time. We will not give Christmas away to commercialism or to the past. For Christians, the Advent is now and here.”
• Crossings by Susan Palo Cherwien
Publisher: MorningStar Music Publishers ISBN 0-944529-35-6
Primarily poetic meditations that are appropriate for use in worship services. Susan Palo Cherwien provides a fresh perspective on many of the most treasured traditions of the church. Many of her poems are quite suitable for Calls to Worships or even as closings to a worship service. One in particular, for Advent, is called “Three Parts to the Season”. Would consider using this as either a Call to Worship (in 3 part voices) or as a closing to a service.
• Lost But Making Excellent Time (Transforming the Rat Race into a Pilgrimage)
by Dr. Jody Seymour (Sr. Pastor of Davidson UMC in Davidson, NC)
Publisher: Resource Publications (div. of Wipf and Stock Publishers)
ISBN-13: 978-1-60608-286-7 ISBN-10: 1-60608-286-8
Jody Seymour uses prose and poetry to reclaim the ancient cycle of the Christian year as a new way to slow down and discover who we really are. Includes Advent, Christmas and Epiphany writings.
* Finding God Between the Lines (New Insights from Familiar Passages and Places)
by Dr. Jody Seymour (Sr. Pastor of Davidson UMC in Davidson, NC)
Publisher: Judson Press ISBN 0-8170-1269-9
Using poetry, short narrative, vignettes, and Scripture selections, Seymour portrays everyday scenes that offer new meaning within the subtleties of well-know Christian themes. There is a portion of this book called “The Christian Year” which contains works on Advent, Christmas and Epiphany.
Website Resources / Creative Worship for Advent
Website: http://www.faithandworship.com/Advent_themes_and_resources.htm
This is a website of prayers, liturgies and worship resources by John Birch, a UMC lay pastor living in Wales. Excellent resource! Permission is given for any church to use prayers, liturgies and worship resources.
Website: www.lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com
This is a blog that has weekly lectionary liturgies posted for use by anyone. Written by Thom M. Shuman (who also wrote “Cradled in God’s Heart” … resource book above). Rev. Shuman is a Presbyterian minister, living in Cincinnati, OH. He usually posts the lectionary liturgies on Mondays or Tuesdays. During the Advent season they will most certainly be focused on Advent in combination with the lectionary Scriptures.
Website: www.prayersfortoday.blogspot.com
This is a blog by Thom M. Shuman that contains prayer/poems often based on the lectionary Scriptures.
Website: www.occasionalsightings.blogspot.com
This is a blog by Thom M. Shuman that takes a look at God at work in the world and in our lives through God-sightings along the everyday of our lives. Often, during Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter, these “occasional sightings” of God are written with these in mind. “Occasional sightings” is the perfect name for these writings.
Other Sources for Worship Arts / Visuals
(Use your imagination / be good stewards of your resources and money)
• FABRICS – become a great collector of fabrics! The best are softer fabrics that can be draped well (such as chiffons which come in a great # of colors). Always be on the lookout, thinking ahead to any of the seasons of the church year. Brocades are good for Epiphany. Always have on hand burlap (have found different shades at Walmart but watch out, some burlap smells!). Natural linens are good to have on hand as well (for Cloth for the Cradle during Advent). Many craft stores such as Hobby Lobby sells “short ends” of fabrics at a lower price/yd
• ADVENT GREENERY – Free! Always be on the lookout for varying shades of evergreens. Dried branches from a nearby wooded area can be gathered if you choose to walk through Advent beginning with dried branches and ending with a lush table of greenery. Magnolia leaves, pine, cedars, rosemary, holly (both green and variegated). Think in terms of varying shades of greens and textures of greenery. Always bring a small bag of fresh greenery with you on Sunday in case some needs to be replaced.
• CANDLEHOLDERS – Pier One is a great place for different looks in glass candleholders. If you are persistent in checking, you might find them at ½ price! Also, 4”x4” blocks of wood can be cut to achieve the exact heights for what you need. 3” pillar candles rest perfectly on these blocks. They can be stained, painted or covered with fabrics.
• CANDLES - Website: www.njcandle.com A great source of UNSCENTED pillar candles in many colors. The candles are solid colors, not a shell of color over white. At times, there are good sales. It might be a good thought to plan ahead for other seasons of the church year and combine a case order (such as blue or purple/pink for Advent, white for Christmas Eve, Christmas, purple for Lent, orange, red and yellow for Pentecost, etc.). Candles burn with differing amounts of efficiency. Cheaper candles tend to burn quickly, unevenly and can end up collapsing in a puddle of wax! Also, if using colored candles, the cheaper ones might only have a wax shell of color and the interior might prove to be white. During times such as Advent, the more expensive candles are the best route to go. Remember that many people have a sensitivity to candles with a fragrance. Make an effort to find unscented candles.
• POTTERY … borrow from others! OR begin to build a worship team closet with items that can be reused in different worship settings. Always look ahead! Seagrove, NC is a great place to look for just the right pottery.
• LANDSCAPING STONE … Investing in landscaping stone from Lowe’s or Home Depot can bring just the right natural look to a centering worship visual. They are inexpensive and can be used in many ways throughout the church year.
• TAIZE’ songs – Taize songs are quiet and focused and can be used effectively as a means to bring a congregation to this point and in participation during the lighting of the Advent candles. Also can be used as Calls to Worship. “Wait for the Lord” is a particularly good Taize’ song to use during Advent. Introduce your congregation to this quiet, contemplative music. It is a means to draw one closer to God in prayer.
•Visuals for Worship
By Elizabeth Steele Halstead Publisher: Faith Alive Christian Resources
ISBN: 1-59255-230-7
The original purchaser has permission to use the artwork in the book and CD without charge or further permission with this line, “Linoleum block prints by Elizabeth Steele Halstead. Reprinted by permission from Visuals for Worship, © 2006, Faith Alive Resources.”
• Just In Time (series)! – Advent Services by David G. Rogne
Publisher: Abingdon Press ISBN -13: 978-0-687-46581-1
Ready-to-use worship and preaching resources for the four Sundays of Advent, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Includes biblically-based sermons, suggested Scriptures, hymns, and prayers as well as litanies for lighting the Advent wreath.
• Cloth For The Cradle by The Wild Goose Worship Group
Publisher: Wild Goose Publications (The Iona Community)
ISBN 1-901557-01-4
Contains a wealth of different types of worship resources: litanies, meditations, monologues, poems prayers, readings, scripts and symbolic actions.
• Teaching & Celebrating the Christian Seasons by Delia Halverson
Publisher: Chalice Press
ISBN-13:978-0-827236-41-7 ISBN-10: 0-827236-41-7
A spiritually enriching resource that helps pastors, worship leaders, and Christian
educators understand and incorporate into the life of the church the symbols, and
practices of the church year. Contains ideas on Advent and Christmas as well as the other seasons of the church year.
• Season of Light and Hope by Blair Gilmer Meeks
Publisher: Abingdon Press ISBN 0-687-34234-1
A treasury of scripture-based prayers, liturgies and other worship aids to enrich worship from the First Sunday of Advent through the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord. Contains corporation prayers and liturgies for each Sunday in the Advent and Christmas seasons, and prayers and liturgies for other worship celebrations related to Christmas. Also contains Service for Healing and Hope.
(Note: there is a book for Lent/Easter/Pentecost as well called “Season of Ash and Fire”)
• Preaching and Worshiping in Advent, Christmas and Epiphany
Editor: Cynthia Gasden Publisher: Abingdon Press
ISBN 0-687-35223-1 Includes Years/Cycles A, B and C
One-volume lectionary resource providing brief preaching commentaries and prayers for worship for the Sundays of Advent through Epiphany for all three cycles of the lectionary. Three commentaries are provided for each Sunday in Advent, one or more for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, three for the Sundays after Christmas and one or more for Epiphany in all cycles. Prayers for worship are included for each Sunday or special day. These may include calls to prayer, pastoral prayers, responsive prayers or benedictions.
• Lectionary Worship Aids Series VIII / Cycle A – Cradled in God’s Heart
by Rev. Thom M. Shuman Publisher: CSS Publishing Company
ISBN-10: 0-7880-2456-6 ISBN-13: 978-0-7880-24566
Thom Shuman provides a wide range of responsive and pastoral prayers that are sure to help busy pastors and worship planners strike the perfect chord in developing their own services. Shuman’s poetic prayers are filled with vivid imagery that reminds us of God’s all-encompassing love and forgiveness. He helps link the Holy with the mundane realities of modern existence.
• Kneeling in Bethlehem by Ann Weems
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press ISBN 0-664-21323-5
Reflections on the mystery of the Christmas season through 26 new poems as well as pieces from previous writings. Ann Weems leads the reader to think about the season’s events in a creative and powerful way. She writes out of the conviction that “each of us awaits expectantly the birth of Christ in this place, this time. We will not give Christmas away to commercialism or to the past. For Christians, the Advent is now and here.”
• Crossings by Susan Palo Cherwien
Publisher: MorningStar Music Publishers ISBN 0-944529-35-6
Primarily poetic meditations that are appropriate for use in worship services. Susan Palo Cherwien provides a fresh perspective on many of the most treasured traditions of the church. Many of her poems are quite suitable for Calls to Worships or even as closings to a worship service. One in particular, for Advent, is called “Three Parts to the Season”. Would consider using this as either a Call to Worship (in 3 part voices) or as a closing to a service.
• Lost But Making Excellent Time (Transforming the Rat Race into a Pilgrimage)
by Dr. Jody Seymour (Sr. Pastor of Davidson UMC in Davidson, NC)
Publisher: Resource Publications (div. of Wipf and Stock Publishers)
ISBN-13: 978-1-60608-286-7 ISBN-10: 1-60608-286-8
Jody Seymour uses prose and poetry to reclaim the ancient cycle of the Christian year as a new way to slow down and discover who we really are. Includes Advent, Christmas and Epiphany writings.
* Finding God Between the Lines (New Insights from Familiar Passages and Places)
by Dr. Jody Seymour (Sr. Pastor of Davidson UMC in Davidson, NC)
Publisher: Judson Press ISBN 0-8170-1269-9
Using poetry, short narrative, vignettes, and Scripture selections, Seymour portrays everyday scenes that offer new meaning within the subtleties of well-know Christian themes. There is a portion of this book called “The Christian Year” which contains works on Advent, Christmas and Epiphany.
Website Resources / Creative Worship for Advent
Website: http://www.faithandworship.com/Advent_themes_and_resources.htm
This is a website of prayers, liturgies and worship resources by John Birch, a UMC lay pastor living in Wales. Excellent resource! Permission is given for any church to use prayers, liturgies and worship resources.
Website: www.lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com
This is a blog that has weekly lectionary liturgies posted for use by anyone. Written by Thom M. Shuman (who also wrote “Cradled in God’s Heart” … resource book above). Rev. Shuman is a Presbyterian minister, living in Cincinnati, OH. He usually posts the lectionary liturgies on Mondays or Tuesdays. During the Advent season they will most certainly be focused on Advent in combination with the lectionary Scriptures.
Website: www.prayersfortoday.blogspot.com
This is a blog by Thom M. Shuman that contains prayer/poems often based on the lectionary Scriptures.
Website: www.occasionalsightings.blogspot.com
This is a blog by Thom M. Shuman that takes a look at God at work in the world and in our lives through God-sightings along the everyday of our lives. Often, during Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter, these “occasional sightings” of God are written with these in mind. “Occasional sightings” is the perfect name for these writings.
Other Sources for Worship Arts / Visuals
(Use your imagination / be good stewards of your resources and money)
• FABRICS – become a great collector of fabrics! The best are softer fabrics that can be draped well (such as chiffons which come in a great # of colors). Always be on the lookout, thinking ahead to any of the seasons of the church year. Brocades are good for Epiphany. Always have on hand burlap (have found different shades at Walmart but watch out, some burlap smells!). Natural linens are good to have on hand as well (for Cloth for the Cradle during Advent). Many craft stores such as Hobby Lobby sells “short ends” of fabrics at a lower price/yd
• ADVENT GREENERY – Free! Always be on the lookout for varying shades of evergreens. Dried branches from a nearby wooded area can be gathered if you choose to walk through Advent beginning with dried branches and ending with a lush table of greenery. Magnolia leaves, pine, cedars, rosemary, holly (both green and variegated). Think in terms of varying shades of greens and textures of greenery. Always bring a small bag of fresh greenery with you on Sunday in case some needs to be replaced.
• CANDLEHOLDERS – Pier One is a great place for different looks in glass candleholders. If you are persistent in checking, you might find them at ½ price! Also, 4”x4” blocks of wood can be cut to achieve the exact heights for what you need. 3” pillar candles rest perfectly on these blocks. They can be stained, painted or covered with fabrics.
• CANDLES - Website: www.njcandle.com A great source of UNSCENTED pillar candles in many colors. The candles are solid colors, not a shell of color over white. At times, there are good sales. It might be a good thought to plan ahead for other seasons of the church year and combine a case order (such as blue or purple/pink for Advent, white for Christmas Eve, Christmas, purple for Lent, orange, red and yellow for Pentecost, etc.). Candles burn with differing amounts of efficiency. Cheaper candles tend to burn quickly, unevenly and can end up collapsing in a puddle of wax! Also, if using colored candles, the cheaper ones might only have a wax shell of color and the interior might prove to be white. During times such as Advent, the more expensive candles are the best route to go. Remember that many people have a sensitivity to candles with a fragrance. Make an effort to find unscented candles.
• POTTERY … borrow from others! OR begin to build a worship team closet with items that can be reused in different worship settings. Always look ahead! Seagrove, NC is a great place to look for just the right pottery.
• LANDSCAPING STONE … Investing in landscaping stone from Lowe’s or Home Depot can bring just the right natural look to a centering worship visual. They are inexpensive and can be used in many ways throughout the church year.
• TAIZE’ songs – Taize songs are quiet and focused and can be used effectively as a means to bring a congregation to this point and in participation during the lighting of the Advent candles. Also can be used as Calls to Worship. “Wait for the Lord” is a particularly good Taize’ song to use during Advent. Introduce your congregation to this quiet, contemplative music. It is a means to draw one closer to God in prayer.
"Advent Sermon Series Ideas"
There is a wonderful source of Advent Sermon Series Ideas found at the following link (at the bottom of the webpage)...
http://www.faithandworship.com/Advent_themes_and_resources.htm
Also included on this website are short responsive liturgies that accompany several of these themes. Also, includes an Advent prayer journey.
Any of these can be used in a worship setting with proper acknowledgement (see website). Rec’d an e-mail OK to use anything from John Birch from the website
(anna murdock)
A Different Way of Preaching During Advent
(thoughts by Ron McCreary, UMC Pastor)
What a “visual anchor” for Advent! Perhaps this might be done either by a pastor and associate pastor OR by a pastor and lay leader/speaker.
I have never been able to pull this off, but I have an idea about how to give the readings for Advent a visual anchor.
I am in the habit of using the Epistle reading early in the service -- perhaps even with the lighting of the Advent Candle -- as a Word of Hope. That's almost always what they are.
Given that, I wonder what it would be like to have two lecterns, appropriately decorated, one for the Old Testament reading and one for the Gospel reading. Laity would read at least one if not both of the readings. Then, for preaching I would physically move between them as my message moves between them.
Ron McCreary, Pastor
Gray Memorial United Methodist Church / Tallahassee, FL
http://www.faithandworship.com/Advent_themes_and_resources.htm
Also included on this website are short responsive liturgies that accompany several of these themes. Also, includes an Advent prayer journey.
Any of these can be used in a worship setting with proper acknowledgement (see website). Rec’d an e-mail OK to use anything from John Birch from the website
(anna murdock)
A Different Way of Preaching During Advent
(thoughts by Ron McCreary, UMC Pastor)
What a “visual anchor” for Advent! Perhaps this might be done either by a pastor and associate pastor OR by a pastor and lay leader/speaker.
I have never been able to pull this off, but I have an idea about how to give the readings for Advent a visual anchor.
I am in the habit of using the Epistle reading early in the service -- perhaps even with the lighting of the Advent Candle -- as a Word of Hope. That's almost always what they are.
Given that, I wonder what it would be like to have two lecterns, appropriately decorated, one for the Old Testament reading and one for the Gospel reading. Laity would read at least one if not both of the readings. Then, for preaching I would physically move between them as my message moves between them.
Ron McCreary, Pastor
Gray Memorial United Methodist Church / Tallahassee, FL
"Removal of Advent Candles" during Benediction
A visual reminder to the congregation that we are not to keep the Light of the Holy Promise of Advent to ourselves, in our sanctuaries, but to carry it out into the world. This particular year, Broad Street UMC chose to have the Advent participation at the end of the service instead of at the beginning. It is probably best to find candleholders with strong stems.
Broad Street UMC / Statesville, NC
• The setting is not the traditional Advent wreath. It is a table of assorted greenery with four glass candleholders/blue candles. All four candleholders/candles are in place on Advent Sunday #1.
• The lighting of the Advent candle(s) may be done in any manner and with any liturgy that you desire at the beginning of the service ... even have them prelit before the worship service begins if you wish.
• At the end of the service, when the benediction is normally offered, the pastor removes the candleholder with the lit candle(s), walks out into the congregation and hands the candleholder/candle to someone in the congregation.
• The pastor’s “charge” to that person is, “Are you willing to carry the Light of the Holy Promise of Advent into the darkness of the world. If so, rise and walk with me.”
• At that point, the person(s) accepts the candleholder/candle, rises and walks up the aisle, to the back of the sanctuary.
Broad Street UMC / Statesville, NC
• The setting is not the traditional Advent wreath. It is a table of assorted greenery with four glass candleholders/blue candles. All four candleholders/candles are in place on Advent Sunday #1.
• The lighting of the Advent candle(s) may be done in any manner and with any liturgy that you desire at the beginning of the service ... even have them prelit before the worship service begins if you wish.
• At the end of the service, when the benediction is normally offered, the pastor removes the candleholder with the lit candle(s), walks out into the congregation and hands the candleholder/candle to someone in the congregation.
• The pastor’s “charge” to that person is, “Are you willing to carry the Light of the Holy Promise of Advent into the darkness of the world. If so, rise and walk with me.”
• At that point, the person(s) accepts the candleholder/candle, rises and walks up the aisle, to the back of the sanctuary.
"Cloth for the Christ-Child"
(Broad Street UMC / Statesville, NC 2005)
As we approach Christmas, we buy presents in preparation to give to our friends and neighbors. But how can we prepare to welcome Jesus who is at the heart of the season? (From: “Cloth for the Cradle”)
1.) An empty manger is placed on the altar table beginning the first Sunday of Advent
2.) Each person is given an 18” strip of soft cloth/linen and asked to keep it with them at all times during Advent. Tie is around your wrist. Tie it around the strap of your pocketbook. Keep it in your pocket. Place it on the table where you have your morning/evening devotionals.
3.) Have the cloth strips available each Sunday for those who didn’t receive them initially.
4.) Encourage the congregation each week to consider how they might prepare their hearts to be a soft and welcoming place for the Christ-child. This Advent focus is more of a preparation of one’s heart to receive the Christ-child. So, sermons could and probably should be centered around this thought.
5.) The final Sunday of Advent, everyone is asked to bring their strips of linen back to the worship service.
6.) At one point in the service (before the sermon most probably), each person is asked to tie his/her strip of cloth to the person’s strip of cloth next to them until each pew has one long strip of cloth.
7.) Have the ushers (or better yet, youth) gather the long strips up in baskets and take out of the sanctuary.
8.) At the end of the service, the strips of linen were brought in by our children, not in baskets but the children holding onto the cloth in a long line. They walked up to the manger where someone was standing to receive the cloth and softly place them into the manger.
9.) The cradle has now been softened by our four weeks of our prayers, our sermons, our personal response to the Christ-child and our strips of linen.
As we approach Christmas, we buy presents in preparation to give to our friends and neighbors. But how can we prepare to welcome Jesus who is at the heart of the season? (From: “Cloth for the Cradle”)
1.) An empty manger is placed on the altar table beginning the first Sunday of Advent
2.) Each person is given an 18” strip of soft cloth/linen and asked to keep it with them at all times during Advent. Tie is around your wrist. Tie it around the strap of your pocketbook. Keep it in your pocket. Place it on the table where you have your morning/evening devotionals.
3.) Have the cloth strips available each Sunday for those who didn’t receive them initially.
4.) Encourage the congregation each week to consider how they might prepare their hearts to be a soft and welcoming place for the Christ-child. This Advent focus is more of a preparation of one’s heart to receive the Christ-child. So, sermons could and probably should be centered around this thought.
5.) The final Sunday of Advent, everyone is asked to bring their strips of linen back to the worship service.
6.) At one point in the service (before the sermon most probably), each person is asked to tie his/her strip of cloth to the person’s strip of cloth next to them until each pew has one long strip of cloth.
7.) Have the ushers (or better yet, youth) gather the long strips up in baskets and take out of the sanctuary.
8.) At the end of the service, the strips of linen were brought in by our children, not in baskets but the children holding onto the cloth in a long line. They walked up to the manger where someone was standing to receive the cloth and softly place them into the manger.
9.) The cradle has now been softened by our four weeks of our prayers, our sermons, our personal response to the Christ-child and our strips of linen.
Christmas Eve for "Cloth for the Christ-child"(see picture above)
On Christmas Eve, the manger is still in place. However, there are soft lights shining from the strips of linen (we used fresh strips of linen for Christmas Eve). The Christ-child is here!
To continue this theme of "Cloth for the Christ-child" throughout the church year, I entered into a conversation a year ago with some who shared these thoughts...
Weaving our Faith Through the Fabric of Jesus Christ"
"I don't feel like I've been sewn into the fabric, but that the fabric of Christ fits perfectly - seamlessly. The cloth of our faith has an amazing story on it." Dennis
Dennis went on to share Galatians 3:27 with me ... "As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." and then continued by saying ....
"It seems to me that this text is about our identity. The identity we
have in our baptism as a child of God. I really like the 'baptized
into Christ...clothed with Christ...one in Christ...belong to Christ'.
Isn't our identity wrapped up in Christ? Isn't Jesus the fabric of
our lives? Shouldn't the light of Christ shimmer upon the cloth of
Christ which we are wrapped in?" Dennis
As he shared this with me, I realized that the softening of our hearts during the Advent season using the strips of linen and the visual softening of the manger could very well lead us into sermons throughout the year based on "Weaving our Faith Through the Fabric of Jesus Christ, using the following thoughts and visuals ...
• The strips of linen/swaddling cloths at his birth
• The hem of his garment (the woman touching the hem of his garment)
• The prayer shawl (talit or tallis) “he went off to a solitary place to pray”
• the servant's towel,
• the purple robe
• the seamless robe
• the linen strips found in the empty tombs.
We are wrapped in it all...every last yard of it...we are clothed with Christ.
"
anna murdock
Broad Street UMC / Statesville, NC
"Bare Branches to Greenery" Advent Focus
BROAD STREET UMC / STATESVILLE, NC / 2008
(Small picture is First Sunday, set up in the chapel ... large picture at the beginning of the blog is the Fourth Sunday set up in our sanctuary)
FOCUS FOR THE MONTH: “ISAIAH HAS FORETOLD IT”
(sermons based on the words of Isaiah)
(Worship visual moves from bare branches the first Sunday to a table filled with greenery by Christmas Eve. We used magnolia leaves, cedar, green holly and variegated holly, rosemary, pines, etc)
1.) First Sunday of Advent … The dry, bare branches were on the altar table at the front of the sanctuary (only a few sprigs of greenery). No candles were to be seen. Startling when a congregation expects an Advent wreath.
2.) Second Sunday of Advent ... Add more greenery. No berries or color.
3.) Third Sunday of Advent ... Add even more greenery. Also incude some variegated holly if possible. Even a few berries.
4.) Fourth Sunday of Advent (see large picture at the beginning of blog). Add much more greenery, berries, variegated holly, etc.
5.) Christmas Eve ... Make the visual lush with greenery. Remove all Advent candles and replace with a centered large white pillar candle as the Christ candle.
(Calls to Worship and the movement of the Advent candles into place)
1.) Each Sunday, we began by dimming the lights and, in silence the candle(s) were "walked" midway down the aisle. We have 4 aisles, so by the 4th Sunday, all aisles were used in this.
a.) First Sunday, one person carrying the candle walked down an aisle
b.) Second Sunday, 2 people carrying candles ... Third, 3 people... Fourth, 4 people
2.) The candle bearer(s) walked midway and stopped, at which time the Call to Worship began. When that was finished, the person carrying the candle (or persons) would continue down the aisle and put the candle in place while “Wait for the Lord” was sung. (the cues were for the Call to Worship to begin when the candle bearer(s) stopped midway … and the candle bearer(s) to begin walking again when “Wait for the Lord” began)
3.) To make things run smoothly, the person who walked the candle down the first Sunday became the person who took the candles from the others' hands and put them into place the following Sundays. It just seemed to work better than several people trying to put them into place in a small area.
4.) Our choir always proceeds, so it was natural to use them for many of the spoken parts from the back of the sanctuary. All Calls to Worship were spoken from the back of the sanctuary. Also, “Wait for the Lord” was sung from the back. (you may e-mail me for the Calls to Worship used by Broad Street UMC in 2008)
5.) On Sunday #1, we included a small child as one of the voices in our Call to Worship. Sunday #2, the voices were all youth. It’s good to include ALL voices within your church.
6.) The Taize' song "Wait for the Lord" was sung each Sunday, which signaled the people with the candles to begin to move toward the altar once again. Also notice that Sunday #1, only 1 voice sang the song. Sunday #2, two voices sang. Sunday #3, the choir sang. Sunday #4, the choir and congregation sang. Just as we added candles each Sunday, we also added voices.
FOCUS FOR THE MONTH: “ISAIAH HAS FORETOLD IT”
(sermons based on the words of Isaiah)
(Worship visual moves from bare branches the first Sunday to a table filled with greenery by Christmas Eve. We used magnolia leaves, cedar, green holly and variegated holly, rosemary, pines, etc)
1.) First Sunday of Advent … The dry, bare branches were on the altar table at the front of the sanctuary (only a few sprigs of greenery). No candles were to be seen. Startling when a congregation expects an Advent wreath.
2.) Second Sunday of Advent ... Add more greenery. No berries or color.
3.) Third Sunday of Advent ... Add even more greenery. Also incude some variegated holly if possible. Even a few berries.
4.) Fourth Sunday of Advent (see large picture at the beginning of blog). Add much more greenery, berries, variegated holly, etc.
5.) Christmas Eve ... Make the visual lush with greenery. Remove all Advent candles and replace with a centered large white pillar candle as the Christ candle.
(Calls to Worship and the movement of the Advent candles into place)
1.) Each Sunday, we began by dimming the lights and, in silence the candle(s) were "walked" midway down the aisle. We have 4 aisles, so by the 4th Sunday, all aisles were used in this.
a.) First Sunday, one person carrying the candle walked down an aisle
b.) Second Sunday, 2 people carrying candles ... Third, 3 people... Fourth, 4 people
2.) The candle bearer(s) walked midway and stopped, at which time the Call to Worship began. When that was finished, the person carrying the candle (or persons) would continue down the aisle and put the candle in place while “Wait for the Lord” was sung. (the cues were for the Call to Worship to begin when the candle bearer(s) stopped midway … and the candle bearer(s) to begin walking again when “Wait for the Lord” began)
3.) To make things run smoothly, the person who walked the candle down the first Sunday became the person who took the candles from the others' hands and put them into place the following Sundays. It just seemed to work better than several people trying to put them into place in a small area.
4.) Our choir always proceeds, so it was natural to use them for many of the spoken parts from the back of the sanctuary. All Calls to Worship were spoken from the back of the sanctuary. Also, “Wait for the Lord” was sung from the back. (you may e-mail me for the Calls to Worship used by Broad Street UMC in 2008)
5.) On Sunday #1, we included a small child as one of the voices in our Call to Worship. Sunday #2, the voices were all youth. It’s good to include ALL voices within your church.
6.) The Taize' song "Wait for the Lord" was sung each Sunday, which signaled the people with the candles to begin to move toward the altar once again. Also notice that Sunday #1, only 1 voice sang the song. Sunday #2, two voices sang. Sunday #3, the choir sang. Sunday #4, the choir and congregation sang. Just as we added candles each Sunday, we also added voices.
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