Liturgy October 31, 2010
History of Hallowe'en Service
(Resource by Rivkah Vaage. Seeds and Sowers, volume 19, 2000)
Announcements and Introduction to the Service
Processional Song:
If your scary and you know it, clap your claws...
If your scary and you know it, then you'll really want to show it!
If your scary and you know it, clap your claws.
If your ghoulish and you know it, thump your hooves!
If your ghoulish and you know it, then you'll really want to show it
If your ghoulish and you know it stomp your hooves!
If your creepy and you know it, shout, Amen!...
If your batty and you know it do all three...!
Call to Worship: (to be read in a haunting tone!)
God of Nicodemus enticing him into the deep cover of night..
“I will cause you to be born again”, he says!
God of Elijah neither in the howl of wind, or the rumbling thunder
but in a great silence at the mouth of a cave...
“Listen, I am very near! Be courageous!”
God of teenage Mary...
“something will stir within the very core of you and behold it will come to life suddenly...”
God of Lazarus all wrapped up like a mummy in grave clothes,
“come out of your tomb this instant, and get something decent on!”
God who breathed into all people and gave spirits to all, tongues of fire resting above their heads,
“I mean for your lives to shine out, even in the most dangerous times, even on this day.”
Come let us answer God's call,
no matter the time of day we travel.
No matter if we are inside a deep cave
No matter how old or young we are
No matter how we are dressed
No matter what mask we might be wearing or how afraid we might be
God calls us and promises to go everywhere with us
Calls us to trust and give our hearts to God, even on Hallowe'en!. (Daryl Webber, 2010)
Song: The Creepy Wanderer (Tune “I Love to go a wandering”) -If we could have the words to Them Bones that would be good...we'd do away with the Creepy wanderer...
I love to go a wandering along the weedy path
and as I go, I love to sing, of spooky ghosts and bats.
Hallowe'en, Hallowe'en
Hallow, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Hallowe'en, Hallowe'en of spooky ghosts and bats.
I love to wander by the house that's haunted to the roof
So eerily is call to me of paranormal proof.
Hallowe'en, Hallowe'en,
Hallow- ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Hallowe'en, Hallowe'en of paranormal proof.
I love to meet a goblin friend, a zombie, witch or worse.
A vampire host, a sad old ghost, all riding in a hearse.
Hallowe'en, Hallowe'en,
Hallow- ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Hallowe'en, Hallowe'en all riding in a hearse.
I hear the gremlins calling me from deep beneath the earth,
No more of this! It's Hallowe'en, no more of happy mirth!
Hallowe'en, Hallowe'en
Hallow-ha, ha,ha, ha, ha ,ha
Hallowe'en, Hallowe'en. No more of happy mirth!
Opening Prayer: (unison)
Gracious God,
We come to worship ready to pray and praise,
to listen and respond.
Teach us today with songs and prayers and drama.
Give eyes to see
and ears to hear
and love to share.
In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Introduction. The Story Begins: How Hallowe'en Began.
Narrator One:
It is such a lot of fun to dress up on Hallowe'en night; the knocking on neighbours' doors, the candy the excitement! But Hallowe'en wasn't always celebrated in this way. Today we are going to learn how Hallowe'en came to be and how it was adopted as a Christian Festival.
Narrator Two:
People from all over the world, in many different cultures, believe that the dead have souls that live on and that their spirits can be very powerful, especially on Hallowe'en. Before Christianity came to Europe and North America, most people believed in many gods, often with one chief god. They also believed in the power of the spirits, both good spirits and evil spirits.
Hallowe'en is a very old Anglo-Saxon (or early English) and Celtic (or Irish) spirit festival, which marked the beginning of the Celtic New Year The Irish people called the festival Samhain (pronounced Sam-when), because Samhain was the Celtic Lord of the Dead.
(Drama Sampan and the cross)
Actor 1: (enters)
Whose using my name? I won't have it! I am Samhain, the Lord of the Dead. I judge all the souls of the dead on Hallowe'en. If you want me to let you return to earth to visit your relatives after you are dead, you had better bring me gifts and offerings. Otherwise I will send ghosts and demons to cause you all kinds of trouble.
Actor 2: (holds up a cross and says:) Be Gone!
Actor 1 (hurries away with Actor 2)
Narrator 2:
Well, I guess that took care of him! But remember, early Christians were living at a time when these beliefs and customs were still very prevalent. Even though the early church wasn't very happy that Christians kept customs linked with evil spirits, they soon found that it wasn't too difficult to accept a festival for the dead into the Christian faith. So about 1,300 years ago, the Church began to celebrate Hallowe'en, or All Hallow's Eve. Because it was the evening before all Hallow's or as we say now, All Saints Day. And like the older Celtic Festival, All Saints, is a festival for remembering those whom we have loved and have already died and gone to heaven.
Narrator One:
We have a famous hymn in our hymn books about all the Saints who have lived before us. It's very long, but very wonderful. If you can't follow all the words in the book, just close your eyes and listen to them. Let's sing For All the Saints together.
Hymn: #705 For All the Saints
The Story Continues: How Jack-O-Lanterns Came to Be
Narrator One:
When people from Europe moved to North America about 500 years ago, they brought Hallowe'en customs with them. A little later, African slaves in America added their own spirit traditions to the Celtic and Christian customs. The mix of cultures has evolved into the Hallowe'en customs we observe today.
Narrator Three:
For instance, on Hallowe'en, Irish people hollowed out turnip and set candles in them. They did this to ward off demons, who were afraid of the light. When the Irish came to North America, they found that pumpkins made even better lanterns. Let's see how well our Jack-O Lanterns work!
(Candle lighters light the Jack-O-Lanterns)
Narrator Three:
These cozy fires not only scared away ghosts and goblins, they also welcomed home any spirits of dead relatives who might come for a visit.
The church added it's own practices. On Hallowe'en, Christians in Europe and South America carry candles to the graves of their loved ones. In Mexico they call Hallowe'en, “The Day of the Dead” and they even have picnics at the graves of their family members.
Narrator One:
Maybe you can think of someone you loved who has died, or even someone famous like Mother Teresa. Everyone received a little felt candle this morning. We are going to use those candles to have our own All Saints Procession. We'll light up this flannel board by placing our little candles on it. When you come up with your candle, think of the person you loved who has died and it will be a way of remembering them as one of God's saints.
Placing our Flannel Candles on the Board,
Offering is collected (plates to be at the front of the sanctuary for the living Saints to bring their gifts forward)
Anthem: (something appropriate about the Saints, while people come forward)
The Story Goes On: How Witches Came in on the Scene
“Drama of the Witch”
Narrator 4:
(as a child dressed as a witch comes in and stands before Narrator 4)
And what are you?
Witch Actor:
I am a witch. The name comes from the Celtic word “wicca” (pronounced- wik-ah)
which means “wise”. Long ago, we witches were known as wise women. We understood how to use plants and herbs for healing. We are even mentioned in your Bible.
Narrator 4:
You are?
Witch Actor:
Yes. King Saul, when he was king of Israel, secretly visited the witch of Endor when he was worried about a coming battle. The witch called upon the prophet Samuel from the dead to ask about Saul's future. Samuel was angry and predicted Saul would lose the battle and his life.
Narrator 4
Wow! That's interesting.
Witch Actor.
Yes it is. But most witches were pagans, as the Christian church grew we became very unpopular because of our “magic' and because we didn't believe in your God. If you want to remember who we witches really are, then remember this poem:
Witches, witches where do they come from?
Maybe your great great grandmother was one!
Witches are wise, wise women they say.
There is a little witch in every woman today!
(Witch leaves quickly, followed by Narrator 4)
Narrator One:
Well, she wasn't too scary, was she? (Invites responses from children) Included in your bulletin is a little outline of what Wicca is and is not.
Wicca is not:
· a cult, nor does it involveSatanic worship or sacrifices.
· Wiccans do not steal or the life force of another; nor use the force of nature to hex or cast spells on others.
· Wiccas do not try to convert people, but rather practice tolerance and acceptance toward all religions.
Wicca Is:
· Wicca is a spiritual belief system that emphasizes free thought and the free will of every person. It encourages learning and an understanding of the earth and nature.
· Wicca's main belief is “harm none”
· Wiccans believe that the spirit of One, Goddess, and God exists in all things.
· Wicca teaches responsibility for actions and deeds as a result of choices people make.
· It acknowledges the cycles of nature, the lunar phases, and the season to celebrate spirituality and worship of the Divine.
· Wiccans teach healing, love, harmony, wisdom, and creativity.
· Wiccan “potions” are for home remedies.
· Wiccans learn from and revere the gift of nature.
(by Liv Vaage, Grade 11)
Still it goes on: How Trick or Treating Began
Narrator One:(Mummers mumbling in the background)
Oh, no! What's that noise? It must be the mummers coming to beg for soul cakes. What shall we do? I don't have any soul cakes to give to them. Do you. If you don't give them a soul cake they will play a trick on us.
Narrator 5: (enters)
That's how trick or treat began, you know! People called “Mummers” would dress up in costume and go through the village preforming a play about Saint George and how he slew the dragon. Afterward they would beg for soul cakes, which were likely like spicy shortbread. Later, the village children began to follow the mummers and also begged for soul cakes. Eventually it became the wonderful custom that we now observe as trick-or-treating. In some places of the world, people also take soul cakes with them to the cemetery to leave on the graves along with candles.
Narrator 1:
Today our mummers have a surprise: they didn't come to get soul cakes from us, they came to bring soul cakes to us. Yummm!
Narrator 5:
Come on Mummers, lets do our thing! (enter mummers)
Narrator 1:
So that's how Hallowe'en came to be. This year, when you're out trick-or-treating, maybe you'll remember the saints of days gone by.
Remember- Hallowe'en is about celebrating the saints who have lived before us! So, some of us have prepared a little thanksgiving prayer for those saints...
(Each reader steps forward to read their section of the prayer)
READER 1: We thank you, Lord, for those who heard your voice and did not turn away.
They sprinkle our lives with joy;
they enrich our souls with faith; they enliven our hearts with courage.
READER 2: They live with exuberance, spontaneity, and honesty, and call us to do the same.
When we are weary, they energize us with their vigor.
When we are unhappy, they console us – that's their job.
READER 3: When life to us seems lifeless,
they bring us to wholeness with their enthusiastic eagerness to learn, and grow,
and see and do. They bless all of your creation, Lord, with their love of you.
READER 1: We thank you for all those who inspire us with faith,
who instill us with hope, who ignite us with love,
who keep us forever young and holy in your sight.
Narrator One:
But remember- all of us here today are also saints! Did you know that?! Anyone who is baptized into the Christian faith is a Saint of our God; we're the saints who are still living and doing God's will on Earth.
Conclusion to the story:
Narrator One:
All of us here are Saints!
So when you are out trick-or-treating, remember that beneath your costumes, and beneath your skin, somewhere in those bones of yours, even if sometimes we aren't very sure at all, we are one of God's children who God has made put a mark upon and is being helped in secret to grow in their goodness! And because we are Celebrating Saints today, it is the perfect day for a baptism. We welcome Elliot this morning in the sacred celebration of baptism.
Chair of Worship
On behalf of Ebenezer United Church I'd like to present____ and _____ who wish to have their son Elliot received into God's family through the sacrament of Baptism. (Family comes forward)
Sacrament of Baptism: Elliot
Closing scriptures: Matthew 5:1-16
Closing Hymn: “Oh When the Saints”
Oh, when the saints go marching in,
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, Lord, I want to be in that number
when the saints go marching in!
Oh, when the band begins to play..
Oh, when the people are set free...
Oh, when the saints go marching in....
Commissioning and Benediction
Sung Amen.
Thanks to all who helped in our special Hallowe'en service this morning, and who helped to carve our pumpkins last week at the Farm and through the days after. Happy and safe trick-or treating tonight!
