union avenue christian church |
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Hanging of the Greens “When your children ask in time to come, ‘what do these stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them” about the waters of the Jordan. This is a scripture we heard a few weeks ago about how our forebears placed symbols to mark important events so that the children of future generations would never forget the stories of faith. In this season of Advent, we have very important symbols surrounding us: symbols of our faith; symbols of our hope; symbols of the life we have received and hope to receive. We place these symbols in significant places in the sanctuary, and today make the connections between those places and those symbols. We do this not just to beautify an already lovely space, not because it is what we do in this culture, but so that we can tell stories of faith. We do this so our children will remember from this generation on, what has been passed onto us about the presence of God in our lives, about the coming of Jesus Christ into our midst, and about the advent of new times for which we are jointly responsible as faithful people. From ancient times, the pine, cedar and fir trees have been considered symbols of eternity. Their needles remain green from season to season; their protective branches are able to hold life in summer and winter; their stately presence does not often crack or break with the winds. Martin Luther is believed to have first used the evergreen tree at Christmas. He wandered out one Christmas Eve in the midst of the pine trees and became entranced with the wonder and beauty of the starry sky. He was so overwhelmed with the graciousness of the evening and the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth that he was speechless to explain his experience to his wife. So he set up a tree for his children and decorated it with candles in their nursery, and told them the story of God's immense love through the gift of Jesus. Pastor Harry Schwann, a young clergyman from Germany, created quite an uproar on Christmas Eve, 1851, in Zion Church, Cleveland, Ohio. That night he brought a lighted Christmas tree into the church building. His act was declared sacrilegious, idolatry, and groveling before a shrine. His church members told him that decent citizens would not tolerate such pagan practices. After long research, however, he demonstrated the precedent for Christian practices and is credited for opening the custom of allowing trees in church sanctuaries. The tree holds a prominent position in our sanctuary through this season. Perhaps we – like Martin Luther – can see it as symbol of God’s immense love and the love of this universe. Garlands of evergreen surround us in the sanctuary today as well. May they remind of us the constancy of God and the ways in which God wraps around all that we say and do. Soon evergreen wreaths will be hung in the chancel. This part of our sanctuary is set apart for various activities of worship leaders. Two large wreaths will be placed on either side of the choir. Most of the time our choir sings in the chancel. Long understood as the language of the soul, music is an integral part of worship. Our deepest emotions and highest aspirations are given voice through music. The activity of making music is core to the ministry of the church. May these wreaths accentuate the already angelic melodies we are fortunate to hear. Wreaths will also be placed on the lectern and the pulpit — two very important locations of ministry. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) celebrates the important foundation of Biblical reading and studying. In this particular congregation, regular reading from the Hebrew and Christian scriptures is done at both lectern and pulpit. Another important feature of the Disciples is the emphasis on lay leadership. Very few services of worship lack a mix of clergy and laity within the activity of leadership. Although most times lay leaders use the lectern for leadership, there is no rule or admonition against their use of this pulpit. We do not add wreaths or greens to the central point of the chancel – the communion table. It is evergreen — in and of itself — never changing and yet always giving us life. Later in the season the steps where our children often sit for their moment together will be adorned with poinsettias, a tropical plant with a Christian legend of its own. Come now, let us consider all that happens within the confines of this space in our sanctuary, let it be decked in wreaths of green. Let us remember how significant worship leadership is for each of us and how the immensity of God’s love is the core of our life. ............................................... Paul wrote to the church in Rome to ‘welcome each other as Christ welcomed us…to the glory of God’. ‘Accept each other as Christ accepts us ...for the glory of God.’ In his letter to the Christians at Philippi he pleaded for them to welcome others with whole-hearted delight. A congregation is truly only a gathering place for Christians to be inspired, share visions, garner courage, receive energy to do the work of ministry in this world of God’s. Therefore, it is not a permanent stopping place, but a fueling place for the journey. Even though we receive members and encourage commitment, there are no rules for conduct or typecasts for those who would participate. Our doors must be open to all of God’s children who are looking for companions on the journey of life and ways in which to serve the hopes and dreams of Jesus Christ in this world. Therefore, gender, color, economic or professional status, sexual orientation, and age, past life experience, present life condition – nothing will bar one from entering the doors and becoming involved within the life and work through this sanctuary. Evergreen wreaths will be placed on our doors as symbols of their open-ness, as marks of the inclusivity of God’s grace, of the eternal welcome circle of Jesus Christ to all who chose to join his work. ..................... Light is an important symbol for the Christian faith. Zechariah prayed for his son, John, that through his ministry God’s light would shine on all those living in darkness and help them to prepare. Simeon, when he held the baby Jesus, thanked God for the light that had come to his own eyes that day; the light he knew would heal the nations. In one of Jesus’ more memorable parables, he told his disciples that no one lights a lamp and then covers it up, instructing them to become and live the light that was within them. The Gospel writer, John, claimed that Jesus Christ was the light of humanity, and that light shines in the darkness and the darkness has never mastered it. It is not coincidental that Advent is the darkest season in the northern hemisphere. In fact, the day with the least sunlight, falls shortly just before the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus. The luxury for us living in this part of the world is that the liturgical season helps us remember the dark days before the light emerges again, the advent waiting before the birth of Jesus Christ in our lives. So, light the candles now as symbols of what is to come. Hold fast to the knowledge that a day is coming when the light of lights arrives. SW |
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