Dear friends,
We have now entered the liturgical season of Advent as our church calendar begins again. One big difference that you will notice in our worship this year is that the color of the altar hangings and my stole have changed. Instead of the traditional color of purple we now have Sarum blue. (From the Medieval Sarum rite)
I am particularly excited about this change as it has been a growing practice that has its roots deep in our heritage. Records of inventories from the medieval diocese of Salisbury (Sarum) from the 13th and 16th centuries show that blue silk vestments, altar cloths and chasubles were part of the liturgical attire. Today the practice of using blue during Advent is mostly seen in Lutheran, Anglican and Episcopal congregations. This became more prevalent during the Victorian era as a way to distinguish between Advent and Lent. Many Christian churches are shifting the emphasis of Advent from a penitential season, such as Lent, to a celebration of hope and anticipation. We will not neglect that it is also a time of introspection and preparation.
The color blue has several symbolic meanings: royalty, the coming of the King, the night sky before the dawn, the sea as God’s creation, hope and of course, the mother of Jesus, Mary.
This all would not have happened without the leadership of Halsey Dillard and Lisa McCue and their team Stephany Breed, Bea Gates, Jean Hillsman, Betsy Moore and Martha Redstrom-Plourd. In observance of our 325th Anniversary they have gifted their time and talent to make these new adornments for our worship for which we are truly appreciative. The symbols on the hangings represent the Huguenot Cross, the fleur de lis and the dove of peace. The cross with the dove on it was seen while on our pilgrimage in France!
I hope that you enjoy the new hangings and all that they symbolize. May we use this opportunity to reflect on this season of hope.
Blessings,
Gini+