Advent Wreath and Crèche Readings: Advent 4
There are two segments to our observance of Advent. The first is "building the crèche" — adding characters each Sunday to the crèche scene. The second is lighting the candles of the Advent Wreath. To do this, we have two households involved each Sunday: a Crèche Household and a Wreath Household.
The hope is that each person in the household will have something to do. A household of a single person means that person does the entire segment. Households with children should help each child do something. (There are several boxes available, so someone shorter can be seen.) Each of the "Wreath Household says" segments offers an opportunity for a different person to have a part. As many different readers as possible should be used. Children, youth, and adults will do better with practice out loud — at home and in the sanctuary. Participants may come between twenty to forty minutes before the service and walk through the part. The sound technicians help participants get used to the microphone. For the 10:00 a.m. service, we try to have the chancel clear of people by fifteen minutes prior to the beginning of the service. Participants should sit on an aisle so they can get to the chancel area quickly. Every person should speak clearly, slowly, and above a normal speaking volume.
Directions
Both households will be called up by one of the pastors, who will say: "Will those who will assist us in our observance of Advent, please come forward."
The Crèche Household should go directly to the crèche and stand behind it. The Wreath Household should go directly to the lectern (where the Scripture is read from at the 10:00 service).
Crèche Household: Take two sheep and two shepherds from behind the table and hold the figures in front of you so the congregation can see them (more than one person can hold the figures). Follow the directions of the pastor as she or he speaks about the characters and then asks that they be placed in the scene. After the characters are in place, stand while the candles in the Advent Wreath are lit.
Wreath Household: Upon arriving at the lectern, make sure each person is where he or she is comfortable and can be seen. Wait for the crèche characters to be placed. When the pastor says: "Now we continue with the lighting of the candle on the wreath," you say the words in the script below:
Script
Wreath Household says: Today we light the fourth Advent candle.
Wreath Household says: Let us pray.
O Emmanuel, our king and law-giver, the Savior of the nations.
Come and save us, O Lord, our God. Amen.
Wreath Household says: The first candle reminded us of hope.
The second candle reminded us of peace.
The third candle reminded us of joy.
The fourth Advent candle is the candle of love — the love of Mary for her child, the love of God of all humankind.
Wreath Household (even more slowly and distinctly) says: May the light of hope, peace, joy, and love burn brightly in our hearts all our days.
Now The Wreath Household moves from the lectern to the wreath and, using the lighter provided, lights the remaining unlit blue candle. (The first, second, and third candles should already be burning.) A member of the household will put the lighter out by pulling the wick down into the wand and placing the extinguished lighter into the middle of the wreath. (Nothing should be said during this time.)
Both Crèche and Wreath Households: The organ will begin playing. As the music begins, both households leave the chancel and return to their places in the sanctuary.
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