Advent 2 – Hanging of the Greens Worship Celebration with Communion Cresskill Congregational Church United Church of Christ December 6, 2020, 10:00 A.M. No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here. 85 Union Ave, Cresskill, NJ 07626 (201) 568-0608 www.cresskillucc.org Rev. Ronald E. Verblaauw, Interim Pastor [email protected] Cell phone - (201) 838-4254 Julie Schmidt, Choir Director [email protected] Cheryl Woertz, Music Director [email protected] Eileen Andriano, Office Manager [email protected] Order of Worship, December 6, 2020 – Pg. 2 PRELUDE THE WELCOME Rev. Ronald E. Verblaauw AN ADVENT CELEBRATION - HANGING OF THE GREENS HYMN “Come, O Long-Expected Jesus” (vv. 1 & 4) NCH #122 Tune: Stuttgart Come, O long expected Jesus, born to set all people free; From our fears and sins release us; grant us your true liberty. By your own eternal Spirit, come to claim us as your own; By your all-sufficient merit, let us share your cross and crown. PASTOR: Advent is a time of preparation and a time of waiting. As we make ready for Christ’s coming, we prepare our sanctuary and our homes with the symbols of Christmas, and we prepare our hearts by opening them to God’s promise. Then, in awesome anticipation, we wait, focusing our hearts and minds on God’s greatest gift to the world, God’s Son, born as a tiny babe in a humble manger in Bethlehem. “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” - Isaiah 9:6 (NRSV) Let us pray (in unison): Heavenly Creator, as we decorate this sanctuary and our homes, fill our hearts and minds with your love and peace. Help us to focus with joy on the true meaning of Christmas. May the hope, peace, and joy of this season surround us with your bountiful grace and love. Amen. Order of Worship, December 6, 2020 – Pg. 3 THE ADVENT WREATH READER 1: The circle of evergreens, having no end and bearing four candles, reminds us of the eternal Christ, the light of the world. Each Sunday in Advent, a new candle is lit until all four glow on the fourth Sunday. Every home should have a circle with four lights. For us, some people will be in the church sanctuary and some will be at home, but always we name that the primary place of claiming God’s light is where each person lives. Several years ago, Cláudio Carvalhaes, professor of worship at Union Theological Seminary, suggested that we lament before we light – naming those things which oppose or diminish our hope, peace, joy and love. We name them and then claim the power of that light over them. It is a wise lesson, and in this strange year, his insight seems even more true. We ask each of you to contribute one word, or name several of the things which oppose hope or shatter peace, the things we miss that seem so important to our joy, the things that numb us to love, and put those words on one or several small pieces of paper in the center of your home wreath and, if possible and you are willing, post them in the chat or comments of Zoom or Facebook Livestream. Many of these may be similar each week – because the same things are quenching all four glowing points of our emotional compass. Second Sunday in Advent Leader: In our sanctuary and in our homes we gather around wreaths to pray our lost hopes, broken peace, limited joys, and love so hard to find and share in this season of coronavirus. We affirm that our candles mean we claim the power to call this season Advent - when God’s light comes into the world nothing can overcome it. We light the candle of hope. The first Advent candle is lit. Order of Worship, December 6, 2020 – Pg. 4 People / Liturgist Reading for the People We now light the candle of peace in spite of: [for example: gun violence, anger, post-election violence, dangerous homes, depression and addiction …] The second Advent candle is lit. Leader: God’s peace illuminates the possibility of reconciliation and healing and brightens the path to joy. People / Liturgist Reading for the People Emmanuel, God be with us, in the week to come, lighting hope and peace on the wick of our lives so that we may shine on our world. Amen. Hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (v. 3) Veni Emmanuel The New Century Hymnal #116 O come, O come, O Adonai, who came to all on Sinai high, And from its peak a single law proclaimed in majesty and awe. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel! THE SYMBOL OF THE EVERGREENS READER 2: Among the ancient Romans, the evergreen served as a symbol of peace, joy, and victory. The early Christians placed them in their windows to signify that Christ had entered their home. The evergreen also serves as a symbol of eternal life – always green, always fresh and alive, everlasting. Thus, the evergreen is a symbol of the eternal promise of salvation and the everlasting God. The hanging of the greens has become a tradition of preparation for Christmas. HYMN “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” (v. 1) UMC #184 Order of Worship, December 6, 2020 – Pg. 5 Tune: Divinum Mysterium Of the Father’s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be, he is Alpha and Omega, he the source, the ending he of the things that are, that have been and that future years shall see, evermore and evermore. THE ORIGIN AND SYMBOL OF THE POINSETTIA READER 1: “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you.” - Isaiah 60: 1-2 (NRSV) The poinsettia is known in Central America as the “Flower of the Holy Night.” This blossom is a newer Christmas tradition. Its star shape reminds us of the Bethlehem star. Two legends have evolved from this flower. The first explains its origin. A little boy, having nothing to give the baby Jesus, prayed, and as he did, the flower grew at his feet. He picked the blossom and gave it to the Christ Child. The second legend tells us that the poinsettia was white, representing the purity of Christ. Place poinsettia(s) on the altar. HYMN “Creator of the Stars of Night” (vv. 1 & 5) Hymnal 1982 #60 Tune: Conditor alme siderum Creator of the stars of night, your people’s everlasting light, O Christ, Redeemer of us all, we pray you hear us when we call. Come in your holy might, we pray, redeem us for eternal day; defend us while we dwell below from all assaults of our dread foe. CHRISMONS Order of Worship, December 6, 2020 – Pg. 6 READER 3: “Chrismons” are handmade Christmas tree ornaments with various symbols of Christianity. The name “Chrismon” comes from a combination of the words Christ and Monogram. Some of the traditional symbols of Christianity are monograms composed of various combinations of letters for the name Christ or titles for Jesus. These monograms and other symbols were used in the early church as secret symbols of Christianity. To preserve the tradition of what the Chrismons represent the liturgical colors of white, silver, and gold are used. FISH: Early Christians used the drawing of a simple fish outline to identify themselves to one another, as they were often persecuted by the Roman Empire officials. The FISH Chrismon is hung on the tree. MANGER: The birth of Jesus and the ordinary life, to which he was born, A MANGER Chrismon is hung on the tree. ANGEL: Represents God’s messengers who brought the good news of Jesus’ birth, An ANGEL Chrismon is hung on the tree. DOVE: The best known symbol of the Holy Spirit, reminding us of Jesus’ baptism, A DOVE Chrismon is hung on the tree. CHI RHO: The oldest monogram for Jesus Christ. They represent the 1st & 2nd letters of the Greek word for CHRIST. A CHI RHO Chrismon is hung on the tree. CROWN: Symbolizes CHRIST as King of Kings A CROWN Chrismon is hung on the tree. READING FROM THE PSALMS Psalm 85 (NRSV) Order of Worship, December 6, 2020 – Pg. 7 Prayer for the Restoration of God’s Favor To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm. 1 Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin. Selah 3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. 4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us. 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 6 Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. 8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.[a] 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. 10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.