WEEKS 1-10 OF WORSHIP

Week 1: Why is the first week of Advent the first week of the liturgical year?

Advent is part of the Christmas Cycle which, along with the whole liturgical year evolved into its current shape by the fourth century. The Christmas cycle includes Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. As Easter is preceded by a season of preparation so is Christmas preceded by Advent.  Christmas begins the story of “God with us” and Advent (literally Ad – to, toward; Vent –coming) is the season that prepares us or helps us “come to or toward” Christmas. It is a season of hope during which we prepare to celebrate the first coming of Christ and anticipate the future coming of Christ. The Christian year follows Christ’s life through to the birth of the church and so begins with focus on is birth. Christmas is a set day and Advent is its prelude, starting on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and so begins the liturgical or Christian year.

Week 2:  Why are our advent candles blue?

Our advent candles are blue because this is a season for hope, and blue is the color of hope. The antependia (pulpit hanging), the choir stoles, and the Fellowship Hall table covers are all blue for the same reason. Originally God’s people hoped for a Messiah. Then Jesus fulfilled that hope at Christmas. Now we hope Jesus will come again even as we remember how he came the first time. The calligraphy in the front of the sanctuary is a quote from Revelation where the promise is made, “Behold He is coming!” (Notice there is blue in this creation by Graham Whitlow).

Week 3:   What do the four candles on the advent wreath represent?

The four blue candles on the Advent wreath represent the four Sundays of the Advent season and a 5^th candle which is white will be added to the center to represent the coming of Christ into our world. As it says in Isaiah, “The People who have walked in darkness have seen a great light…for a child has been born to us….named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Additionally the four candles may represent another concept, which can vary from church to church and year to year. Often love, hope, joy, and peace are used. Traditionally “joy” is the third week (Gaudate Sunday in Latin). (When a wreath has 3 purple candles and one pink one, the third is the pink one to go with this joy theme). Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1: 46-55) is often the text for this 3^rd week and it seems a good day for our children to have a Christmas pageant, and for our musicians to share a cantata as a joyful noise and gift of praise.

Week 4: What is a Jesse tree?

In Matthew Chapter 1, we can read Jesus’ Genealogy. We often talk about Jesus being a descendant of David. Jesse was David’s father and a tradition began that illustrates Jesus’ family tree and it has been called a Jesse Tree. This is probably rooted in the verse from Isaiah 11:1 which says, “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” The tree on the front of the pulpit hanging (antependia) is a small representation of a Jesse tree with a “rose” at the top representing Jesus. (It was designed by Alice Lieb) The ornaments on the Fellowship Hall tree are “Jesse Tree ornaments” and represent some of Jesus’ ancestors –going back all the way to Adam and Eve. Look and see how many you recognize (these were designed and made by Betty Olhoeft and former member Dot Spuhler).

Week 5: Why are we still singing Christmas carols after Christmas?

Christmas is often celebrated as a season of time, rather than just a day.  Christmas begins with Christmas Day, December 25, and lasts for twelve days until Epiphany, January 6.  The one or two Sundays between Christmas Day and Epiphany are sometimes called Christmastide.

During Advent, we sing songs that emphasize expectation, longing, and hope, a preparation for celebration much as Lent is a preparation for Easter.  For Christmas, and during Christmastide, we celebrate the “Joy to the World” of the coming of Christ our Savior.

Week 6:  Why is it called Epiphany?

Epiphany means “to show”, or “to make known” or even “to reveal” – today we might call that an “aha moment.”   At Christmas, God came to be with us but he looked like an ordinary baby.  Through a series of “ahas” God’s people begin to discover who this boy Jesus really is.  Epiphany marks the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child; by doing so they first reveal Jesus to the world as Lord and King.  Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas season and the twelve days of Christmas.  The lectionary gospel texts between Epiphany and Lent are stories such as Jesus’ Baptism that continue to reveal who Jesus is.

Week 7:   Why are we baptized only once?

Baptism is the sign and symbol of inclusion in God’s grace and covenant with the Church.  It enacts and seals what the Word proclaims:  God’s redeeming grace is offered to all people.  Baptism is God’s gift of grace and also God’s summons to respond to that grace.  God’s faithfulness signified in Baptism is constant and sure, even when human faithfulness to God is not.  Because Baptism is God’s action, not ours, it does not need to be repeated.

We can re-affirm our baptismal covenant through a simple ritual of Remembrance – a time and a way to become re-connected with the grace of God.

Week 8: Where can you find green in worship this week, and what is its significance?

The liturgical calendar has seasons – not like Winter or Spring, but seasons of the Christian life.  We use five colors to identify different seasons:  White is used to display God’s redemptive acts and is the color for Christmas and Easter and other “Big Jesus” days.  Purple represents penitence and preparation and is used for Lent.   Blue, representing hope, is used for Advent.  Red is for celebrations such as Pentecost where we celebrate the Holy Spirit.  And green is used in all other times known as “Ordinary Time” to show our continual need to grow closer to God.

Many of us, this writer included, find comfort in coming to the same place every Sunday – maybe even the same table in Fellowship Hall, or pew in the Sanctuary.   It can be easy to miss the subtle changes in our surroundings.  But if you look around you will see that the white of Christmas has been replaced with green – from the table runners and covers in Fellowship Hall, to the choir and pastor stoles, and the antependium in front of the pulpit in the sanctuary.  There is green (and all the liturgical colors) in the stained glass design of the sanctuary and it is no accident that the carpet in Fellowship Hall is green.   Let the green be a reminder that this is a season to grow closer to God.

Week 9: Why does the congregation meet once a year?

The Presbyterian Church is organized as a representative democracy – for example, members elect elders to represent the congregation on session within each individual church.  The rules by which we operate are included in the Book of Order [which is technically part II of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Constitution; part I is the Book of Confessions, from which we have been reading short excerpts each week as our affirmation of faith.]  The Book of Order details our form of governance, the directory for worship, and rules of discipline.

The Book of Order identifies that each individual church will have an annual meeting, and may hold other meetings as needed.  The annual meeting is our opportunity as members to learn firsthand from our elected leaders about how we are doing – how we are growing in faith as disciples, and how we are serving our members, our community and our world as Christians.

Week 10: What’s the difference between ordaining and installing officers?

Ordination is the act by which the church sets apart people to be presbyters (ministers of the Word and Sacrament or elders) and deacons; it is accompanied with prayer and the laying on of hands.  The laying of hands is a literal connection from Jesus Christ to his disciples, to ministers throughout the ages, and to our church leaders today – a true “social network” begun 2000 years before Facebook!

Ordination is perpetual; however, election to a specific office or board is for a specific term – which in our church is for three years.  Vacancies can be filled as needed. Installation is the term we use for bringing an ordained person into active service, such as an elder serving again as a member of session, or as a deacon on the board of deacons.