Let us remain seated as the children bring in the holly and we sing Deck the Halls.
INTROIT: “Deck the Halls”
Procession of the Greens:
Deck the halls with boughs of holly! Falalalala…
Tis the season to be jolly! Falalala…
Don we now our gay apparel Falalala
Toll the ancient Yuletide carol Falalalala…
See the blazing yule before us Falalala
Strike the harp and join the chorus Falalala
Follow me in merry measure Falalala
While I tell of Yuletide treasure Falalala
We will now have the Hanging of the Greens, an ancient ceremony for December.
THE HANGING OF THE GREENS
A Litany of Preparation
Leader: How shall we prepare for the coming of the King?
PEOPLE: With branches of cedar, the tree of royalty.
Leader: How shall we prepare this house for the coming of the eternal Christ?
PEOPLE: With garlands of pine and fir, whose leaves are ever living, ever green.
Leader: How shall we prepare this house for the coming of the Savior?
PEOPLE: With wreathes of holly and ivy, telling of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection.
Leader: By hearing again the words of the Scriptures, the saving work of God.
PEOPLE: By hearing again the words of the Scriptures, the saving work of God.
ALL: Glory to God in the highest! Thanks be to God! Amen.
REFRAIN sung while the Heart wreath is brought forward and hung:
“Emmanuel, Emmanuel. His Name is called Emmanuel. God with us, revealed in us. His Name is called Emmanuel.”
HEART: (LEADER) “The heart wreath represents the love of God as shown through the Gift of Jesus Christ to this earth.”
LOVE: (ALL)”For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. (John 3:16-17)
REFRAIN while the Star wreath is brought forward and hung: Emmanuel, Emmanuel, his name is called Emmanuel. God with us, revealed in us, his name is called Emmanuel
(wait until heart is hung)
STAR: (LEADER) “The star wreath represents the birth of Jesus, and the Light Jesus brought into the world.”
LIGHT (ALL): The people who walk in darkness will see a great light — a light that will shine on all who live in the land where death casts its shadow.
REFRAIN is sung while the Cross wreath is brought forward and hung: Emmanuel, Emmanuel, his name is called Emmanuel. God with us, revealed in us, his name is called Emmanuel
(wait until the star is hung)
CROSS: (LEADER) “The cross wreath is a symbol of Jesus’ death, “who for the joy before him endured the cross.”
DEATH: (ALL) Christ was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy Christ knew would be his afterward.
REFRAIN is sung while the Circle wreath is brought forward and hung: Emmanuel, Emmanuel, his name is called Emmanuel. God with us, revealed in us, his name is called Emmanuel
(wait until the cross is hung)
CIRCLE: (LEADER) “The circle represents the unending qualities of God, and eternal life brought us by Jesus Christ.
ETERNAL LIFE: (ALL) Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
LEADER: We will now stand and sing The Holly and the Ivy. Notice how this ancient folk song refers to Jesus and our salvation. We will sing the chorus after the first and last verses.
*The Holly and the Ivy
The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.
CHORUS:
Oh, the rising of the sun, and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry music, sweet singing in the choir.
V. 2 The holly bears a blossom, as white as lily flower,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ, to be our dear Savior.
Verse 3: The holly bears a berry, as red as any blood, and Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ, to do poor sinners good. Refrain
Verse 4: The holly bears a prickle, as sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ on Christmas Day in the morn: Refrain
Verse 5: The holly bears a bark, as bitter as the gall, and Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ for to redeem us all: Refrain