In all church traditions, weekly worship is determined by following some form of the Christian calendar. Yet, many of us are unaware of the rich tapestry of story and hope that the Christian calendar truly offers us. Aside from celebrating Christmas and Easter, many us miss out on many of the other significant remembrances that give meaning and form to our faith in Christ.
Many of the Selah services that I lead follow the themes and observances of the Christian calendar. When we observe some of these ‘feasts’ and celebrations together, we are remembering with all our brothers and sisters in Christ not just in present times, but also those who make up the “great cloud of witnesses” (Heb. 12).
The following notes I’ve compiled for my own use in designing Selah services and are offered as a resource. I utilized many sources, yet they are not exhaustive and several of the feasts and observances I have left out, with respect to my brothers and sisters in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Feel free to post your own ideas and suggestions in the “Christian Calendar” section of the Selahservice blog.
Ash Wednesday
This is one of the most important observances in church traditions since it marks the beginning of the Lenten season (see more on Lent below). It is a day of repentance and confession before God culminating with worshippers being marked on the forehead with a cross made from the ashes symbolizing death and the sorrow for our sin. The tradition draws from the Old Testament practice of covering one’s head with ashes and wearing sackcloth such as Daniel when he prays before God in the midst of Jerusalem’s great suffering (Daniel 9).
The ashes are traditionally made from the remains of the pervious year’s burned palm crosses used for Palm Sunday (note the powerful symbolism of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem is followed by his crucifixion). The ashes are usually mixed with a small amount of anointing oil. Both of these are readily available at a church supply store (or online: www.cokesbury.com).
The symbolism in the Ash Wednesday observance is powerful. The ashes remind us that death will come to each one of us and is the direct result of our great sin and unrighteousness. Yet, the mark of the cross made with these same ashes counters this great sorrow with the hope that Christ’s sacrifice will atone for all that we lack resulting in true righteousness and eternal life.
For many believers who have not grown up in a Roman Catholic or Episcopalian tradition, Ash Wednesday may be something completely new. Therefore it’s important that the symbolism is properly explained. There are a couple of simple ways to present this service using few words. A short homily can begin the service explaining the background of its observance. Also, a brief paragraph or two could also suffice in the printed service bulletin or projected on the screen as people enter. Finally, the Minister or worship leader could integrate brief comments during the part of the service when participants are marked on the forehead.
We wholeheartedly encourage you to try to observe this meaningful service to help prepare your church for Holy Week and Easter.
Language to use in the service…
God our Father, you create us from the dust of the earth.Grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our penitence, and a symbol of our mortality.
The minister or priest marks each worshipper on the forehead, and says, “remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return,” or a similar phrase based on God’s sentence on Adam in Genesis 3:19.
The Season of Lent
Lent, (from the old English word “to lengthen” corresponding with Spring days becoming longer), is the period of forty days leading up to the culmination of the Easter. For many in the Christian tradition, Lent is a significant time of personal reflection, repentance and fasting. The most important days of observance during this season happen during the final week leading up to the great celebration of Christ’s resurrection. They are Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Historically, both the Western and Eastern traditions observe Lent but they count the forty days differently (the West excludes Sundays while the Eastern tradition includes them). Western churches start Lent on the 7th (Ash) Wednesday before Easter Day while the Easter churches mark what they call “Great Lent’ beginning on the Monday of the 7th week prior to Easter and end it on the Friday 9 days before Easter.
No matter how your own church chooses to observe the Lenten season, it’s a wonderful time to offer more contemplative based services to prepare ourselves for Easter. One idea for a unique service that occurs during Lent is to create a service based on the ministry of St. Patrick (March 17).
While Palm Sunday begins Holy Week on a celebratory note, the rest of the week leading up to the joy of Easter day is quite solemn. A Selah-type service is most conducive for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. We’ve noted that both of these days are gaining ever-growing attention from Christian traditions that in the past rarely emphasized their observance.
Maundy Thursday
A Selah service observing Maundy Thursday (also known as “Holy Thursday”) is another rich opportunity for your church to ‘remember’ the significant details of Christ’s great sacrifice for our sin. The word “maundy” comes from Jesus’ command to love one another on the evening of the last Passover supper that he would celebrate with his disciples. It was also that night in which Christ was to be betrayed by Judas Iscariot. Often a Maundy service culminates with a symbolic washing of the feet imitating the act of humility Christ made in washing the disciples feet. We have seen this ceremony done with great symbolic effect as ministers and other Christians who are leaders wash the feet of others signifying that we are all equal and of value in God’s kingdom.
Good Friday
The day when true “goodness” was given to mankind was the day when God suffered great pain and humility. And while there has always been much discussion and dissension in the church’s long history on displaying an image of our Lord hanging on the cross, on this afternoon (typically between Noon and 3pm) if not literally displayed, it must be so at least in our mind’s eye.
Again, a simple service without many words, lends itself wonderfully to this observance of the Creator’s great sacrifice for his created. The seven last “words” of Jesus usually provide the form of this somber, yet terribly “good” observance. They are as follows:
“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”
(Luke 23:34)
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
(Luke 23:43)
“Woman, here is your son…. Here is your mother”
(John 19:26)
“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”
(My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?) (Mark 15:34)
“I am thirsty”
(John 19:28)
“It is finished”
(John 19:30)
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”
(Luke 23:46)
We have observed Good Friday services where too much was attempted. However you arrange this, keep it simple, quiet and let the power of the ultimate good in Christ’s sacrifice carry the day.
The Feast of the Annunciation
Many of us who have grown up in the American Protestant tradition don’t know what to do with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Obviously, there are great differences on this subject in the theological traditions of Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Be that as it may, there is no excuse for any believer to disregard the significance of the story of the annunciation for it marks the actual incarnation – nine months before His birth – of Christ.
This festival, it’s origins dating back to the 5th century AD, also retells one of the most extraordinary exchanges between heaven and earth represented in the exchange between the angel, Gabriel and the virgin Mary. Mary’s response to Gabriel’s message that she will bear the “Son of the Most High” (Lu. 1:32) is one of the great proclamations of faith in the Scriptures:
“Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” (Lu. 1:38)
Later in the narrative, upon being prophetically greeted by her relative Elizabeth (herself pregnant with John the Baptist), Mary responds with what is often referred to as “the magnificat (the exalting)”:
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for He has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
And His mercy is for those who fear Him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
He has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to His offspring forever. (Lu. 1:46b-55)
This story should inspire all believers as they grapple with the daily experience of life with the personal calling that Christ has given each one of us. Integrating the text from the first chapter of the gospel of Luke with other contemplative elements, particularly silent prayer signifying our need to wait for the Lord, can offer a rich opportunity for a congregation to experience God’s design and purpose in each of our lives.
Pentecost
Celebrated on the Sunday fifty days after Easter, Pentecost marks the birth of the Christian church. There is a rich tradition of music and symbols that has been handed down to all believers that hearken the coming of the Holy Spirit. The occasion is one for celebration but humility as well, as we gratefully acknowledge God’s true presence in our lives through His Spirit.
A Sunday evening Selah-type Pentecost service is an effective way to remember this significant event in our history with the Lord.
All Souls’ Day
Our Western contemporary culture has a tragically confused understanding of death. Our many movies and newscasts attest to the fact that we’re obviously fascinated by it. But when the reality of death touches our lives, most of us are simply unprepared to deal with it.
Yet, the message of the Gospel is that death is the doorway to true life. Add to this great reality the rich Christian tradition of those “cloud of witnesses” that have lived and believed before us and you begin to understand and appreciate the feast day of All Souls.
All Saints Day (also known as All Hallows’ Day) celebrated on November 1st, traditionally was when many church traditions remembered the saints and martyrs. All Souls Day, which was celebrated on the day after All Saints, commemorated the faithful departed. The two days were combined with the traditional pagan New Year celebration of Samhain (more popularly known as Halloween, October 31st) into Hallowmass.
The word hallow means “to bless” and for the past several years, I have been blessed to be part of a Selah that combines the All Souls and All Saints celebrations into a single service. Scriptural passages and familiar texts attesting to God’s testimony of faith in those believers who have lived before us are combined with music, prayer and the chance to light a candle representing the life of someone we have known that God used to hearten us in our own belief and faith.
An All Souls’ Selah service will give your group or congregation an opportunity to not only remember God’s faithfulness but the faithfulness of others as they lived out their lives. It also allows us to properly acknowledge death but to see it in it’s redemptive and hopeful context as people of faith.
The Season of Advent & Christmas
For most of human history, darkness and the contrasting light of the sun have held great significance for people who spent most of their time outdoors and thus greatly affected by the seasons. Thus, for many who revered and even worshipped the sun, the Winter Solstice (Dec. 21st) marking the beginning of days growing longer in the dead of winter, was truly something to celebrate. For the Norsemen of Northern Europe, the sun was a great wheel that changed the seasons. Their word for it was “houl” which is probably where the word “yule” comes from. The Romans marked this “yuletime” by celebrating for seven days in honor of their god Saturnalia (from the sun god, Saturn). Many of the decorations and customs that we associate with Christmas originated from these early cultures’ midwinter celebrations.
Because of the association with pagan celebrations, the church as always had mixed feelings about this time of year. Indeed, it was not until Pope Julius 1 in the 4th century AD even set the date for Christ’s birth at December 25th largely as an attempt to Christianize the many pagan celebrations during this time of year. Just over 200 years later, December 25th became a civil holiday along with the 12 days following leading up to Epiphany (see below). It was also around this time that the tradition of the nativity scene began when Pope Sixtus III had a crib built in Rome.
How Christians have observed Christmas over the centuries has greatly ebbed and flowed. Much of our modern day celebration with it’s materialistic emphasis is devoid of even an understanding of the original pre-Christian symbols that we decorate our homes, stores and churches with. Yet the fact remains that Christmas represents the great fulfillment of the promise of the Messiah. The representation of a great light dawning into our world of darkness is a powerful metaphor for Christ’s birth into human history. It is this story – with all of its richness, significance, wonder and joy – that we must proclaim and represent in our churches during this time.
The Advent season (“coming” in Latin) is not unlike the Lenten season leading up to Easter with it’s emphasis on preparation and personal reflection leading up to Christmas. The Selah format lends itself well to the observance of Advent which begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30th and continues with each Sunday leading up to December 25th. Songs, carols, readings and silent prayer all focusing on the Christmas story and symbolized each week with the lighting of the Advent candle make for a simple, yet profound and meaningful opportunity to prepare ourselves for Christmas day.
Epiphany
The ‘twelfth night’ of the twelve days of Christmas, Epiphany (from the Greek word “to show”), celebrates the revealing of Jesus to the world. The Eastern church tradition celebrates Christ’s baptism in the River Jordan by John the Baptist as well as His birth while the Western tradition associates it with the visit of the Magi (wise men) to Christ when He was two years old. For some, Epiphany completes the Christmas cycle, but several Protestant traditions use Epiphany (January 6th) as a transition to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.
Candlemas
Traditionally the highly ritualistic observance of Candlemas (February 2nd) has connections with pre-Christian observances marking the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. In some church traditions, this ‘festival of light’ commemorates the ritual presentation of Jesus to God in the temple of Bethlehem where He was met with his parents by the prophetic voices of Anna and Simeon who would call him “a light of revelation to the Gentiles” (Luke 2:21-40). A Candlemas Selah service offers your congregation or small group an opportunity to remember the light of Christ in the physical darkness of the late winter and to revel in His offer of salvation to all people.
