Christmas Tree
Gramps49
Shipmate
Lamp Chop brought up an interesting question.
When does your congregation put up a Christmas Tree?
Our congregation put up its artificial tree after Christ the King Sunday
This last Sunday it was just empty.
Next Sunday it will have lights
The Third Sunday will have Chrismons
Can't remember what the fourth Sunday has, though.
We also have an advent wreath. This year we actually had a pre advent workshop and made Advent wreaths for some of the families in the congregation.
When does your congregation put up a Christmas Tree?
Our congregation put up its artificial tree after Christ the King Sunday
This last Sunday it was just empty.
Next Sunday it will have lights
The Third Sunday will have Chrismons
Can't remember what the fourth Sunday has, though.
We also have an advent wreath. This year we actually had a pre advent workshop and made Advent wreaths for some of the families in the congregation.
Comments
The Advent Wreath was blessed, and the first candle lit, last Sunday. It stands near the altar, for all to see, and someone from the congregation is invited each week to light the candle of the day.
My other two churches will put up their trees when they arrive- they are given every year by one of the local estates, and they come when they come. Last year far too early, but this year no sign yet.
Tree proper goes up normally before the last Sunday before Christmas.
Though it eludes me why a church should have such a pagan symbol in it.
I would refer you to the story of St Boniface (Winfrith) who on a missionary journey through what is now known as Holland and Germany, came across a group of pagans worshiping at a "sacred oak". To prove the falseness of their religion, Boniface and his companions chopped down the oak which was ancient and hollow. Inside the hollow was a small fir tree. Boniface used this as an opportunity to preach about the new life in Christ etc., and made a number of coverts.
There is a sacred (or fairy oak) in Burnham Beeches near Windsor. This tree is definitely hollow, and from the fence surrounding it you can see brambles and other growth in the hollow part of the tree.
One congregation was already decorated for Christmas - artificial greenery, lights, Chrismons, and no less than five(!) nativity scenes scattered through the building and grounds, before Christ the King Sunday, because they're participating in a local community open-house kind of thing and they wanted to make sure they'd have enough time to get set up.
One will put up trees after the last Mass on Advent IV, and one I don't think puts up a Christmas tree at all, or if they do, it's also after Advent IV.
AFAIK, all of them will leave their decorations up until some convenient time after the Epiphany.
The rule on Christmas decorations with us is that they go up after evening service on the Fourth Sunday in Advent. I do not know whether that will be Sunday evening or Tuesday morning this year. They come down in stages - Christmas tree comes down at Epiphany, but the crib may well hang around until Candlemas, or at least until the Sunday in the Octave of Epiphany.
The down side to this decision is that we used to use the trunk of the Christmas tree as the cross for Lent. We resolved that by having the carpenters in our congregation make a cross that can be used every year.
We decorate the church for Christmas right after the Advent 4 service. The Ladies who Know Where Everything Is and their band of assistants will have assembled the decorations in the hall beforehand, and after the service there are plenty of hands to hand decorations.
The (artificial) Christmas trees also come out of storage and go up earlier that day.
For some reason I've yet to fathom, the animals have already made an appearance at the back of the church this year. I'm led to believe they're staying put, & the Holy family will not put in an appearance until Advent 4 is complete (at which point they'll all re-locate in front of the altar. Il Bambino meanwhile appears in the crib at 00:00 on Christmas day.
This often leads to sacristy panic... where's the baby... where did you put the baby?
So they start their journey by the high altar and make their way west towards the crib (in front of the nave altar), arriving at Epiphany.
In our church "wise men com(ing) from the East" would be starting out from the disabled toilet, or the parish hall kitchenette. The church is aligned roughly north-south with the altar at the south end.
Also up is the Moravian star, hanging over the center of the chancel. That does not bother me—by tradition they go up the first Sunday of Advent and stay up through Epiphany.
A very good idea. I am going to bounce it off the pastor this Sunday. Maybe we can get it in motion for this Advent.
🌲
Just missed it, the lights went on after the mass on Saturday morning but I suspect no poinsettias until next Saturday. Oh this year the lights are white only.
We do correctly liturgical things with the wreath at front of church. Another basically decorative accretion, despite its earlier Lutheran beginnings. And we've had serious discussions about when the white frontals go on. But I refuse to get an ulcer over an effing tree (pained smiley face)!
Whenever the person who looks after the tree finds the time to do it. He looks after his house-bound mother 24/7, so I won't be chasing him about it. To be fair, the lights and decorations will be gone after twelfth night. The gentleman involved can dismantle the tree at his leisure and will most likely have it down as soon after that as possible.
At home, my creche is in place, the Santa lithograph has replaced the usual tulip litho. I may or may not put up my artificial tree and decorate it; haven't got there, haven't decided. I find this season quite stressful, not least because I spend two weeks worrying about "who is minding the labyrinth", lol...