Worship Resources
WORSHIP RESOURCES
This page gives some explanations and guidance for the ways things are done during a worship service. Always consult your pastor for more information on how things should be done. For the color of the day for Altar paraments, consult the calendar in your church for the appropriate color. The explanation below gives general guidance but there are a few Sunday that interrupt the general plan for the seasons.
Altar Paraments
The colors of the altar paraments serve to adorn the worship space and to call attention to the season or festival being celebrated.
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Advent: The church calendar begins with Advent and the color is Blue, suggesting hope.
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Christmas: The paraments are white for Christmas, calling to mind the purity of the newborn Christ, and to our light and joy in Christ.
Epiphany /Christ's baptism is also white. Epiphany is January 6, 12 days after Christmas.
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After Epiphany: The cloths are green, used for its symbolism of our growth in Christ.
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Ash Wednesday/Lent: Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and begins the use of purple until Maundy Thursday when the altar is stripped at the end of service for Good Friday.
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Easter: White is used for the joy of the resurrection. White continues until Pentecost.
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Confirmation: coming somewhere in the season of Easter, the cloths are changed to Red for confirmation Sunday.
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Pentecost: Red as in the color of fire is used as we remember the tongues of fire .
After Pentecost: the cloths switch to green to indicate our growth in faith as we follow the teachings and ministry of Christ.
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Reformation Sunday: Red celebrates Luther's posting of the 95 Theses on the church doors in Wittenberg, Germany.
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Christ, the King Sunday: marks the end of the church year. The cloths are white suggesting light, joy, and the celebration of our Lord.
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Paschal Candle
The Paschal Candle, sometimes called the Easter Candle, is a symbol of the resurrection. It is lighted for each service during the 50 days of Easter which concludes with Pentecost. In addition the Pascal candle is lighted for baptism and for funerals.
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Baptism
The candle is lighted at each celebration of Baptism as a visual reminder that in our baptism, we are crucified and resurrected with Christ. The small baptismal candles are lighted from it for presentation to the baptized or sponsor.
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Funerals
The candle is lighted for funerals and placed at the head of casket if possible.
Advent Candles/Wreath
The Advent candles are lit beginning with the first Sunday in Advent — four Sundays before Christmas. The first Sunday one candle is lit, the second Sunday two are lit, the third Sunday three are lit and so on. The center candle, often referred to as the Christ candle is lit for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services only.
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More information about the Advent wreath can be found in the read more document.
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Bell Etiquette
The bell is rung before service to signal the beginning of worship and as a call to worship. The bell is tolled after or at the end of each service. There is a different rope for each. Only the bell clapper moves for the bell tolling , whereas at the start of service the entire bell moves.
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Pealing the Bell
The bell is rung before every church service. The appropriate rope (the pealing bell) is pulled 7-12 times. This is a joyful bell!
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Tolling Bell
The bell is tolled after every church service—three rings, three times. Three pulls, pause, 3 more pulls, pause, and 3 more pulls.
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For funerals
The bell is tolled as above from the time the casket leaves the church until it is placed in the funeral coach. The family may ask to have it toll the age of the person—one toll for each year of life.
Confirmation Gowns
We now will coordinate confirmation gowns at the parish level instead of congregational level.
We will use a check out system and ask families to put down a $25 deposit. Deposit will be returned once gown is returned. Otherwise, it will be deposited 60 days after Confirmation Sunday to buy a replacement.
Thank you, Oklee Lutheran Parish.