Dana and Ruth Dufresne light the Advent Candle at the beginning of the Hanging of the Greens service on Dec. 6

Preparing for the Christmas season

Rather than decorating the church with Christmas greens prior to Sunday services, as it had been done in past year, Minister Ruth Morrison turned the responsibility over to the congregation this year  — and it took place during the 8:15 and 10 a.m. services.

“Hanging of the Greens” was the theme of both services on Dec. 6 with the congregation not only hanging wreaths, decorating with poinsettias, holly, ivy, and evergreen boughs, lighting the Christmas tree, and building the creche, the symbolism of each of the elements turned out to be the sermon — delivered by members of the church.

Bill Wadman talks about the legends of pine boughs.

Children from the congregation were given the opportunity to place Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the animals in the stable on the altars in both the main sanctuary and in the chapel. The Leopold family took care of the creche in the chapel while Jasper Fontana, assisted by Sue Lind, had the honor in the sanctuary.

Jasper Fontana places pieces of the creche in the stable, assisted by Sue Lind.

Once the elements of the creche were in place, other members of the congregation added bedstraw, thyme, rosemary and lavender, explaining why each was important to the Christmas story.

That portion of the service ended when everyone was given the opportunity to hang a paper angel on the Christmas tree with personal messages or prayers printed on each in what has become a Christmas tradition at the Cape Elizabeth United Methodist Church.

The Leopold family lights the Advent Candles in the chapel.

Duane Wakefield, with help from Larry Ducharme, hangs the wreath in the sanctuary.

Dick Banks tells the congregation about the legend of the Christmas tree.

Bruce Lind talks about the symbolism of holly and ivy.

Thomas and Grant Leopold admire the Advent Candles in the chapel.

With the greens and other elements in place, the altar in the sanctuary is ready for the celebration of the Christmas season.