Decorations of Worship

Decorations in the church come in a wide variety and serve a purpose not that different from the other things in the church: giving glory to God. As in all things in the church building, decorations are used to direct our hearts and minds to Christ as the center of our faith and worship.

The altar linens used in a Christian congregation derive from the linen that shrouded the body of our Lord, and, thus, they symbolize both the death and resurrection of Christ. Paraments are the linens used to decorate the church furnishings, most notably the altar, pulpit, and lectern.  They are usually decorated with orphreys (embroidery), symbols, and fringe, and match the color of the liturgical season. A white linen is also placed on top of the altar itself, called a cerelinen, which originally was meant to protect the finer linens from moisture of a stone altar. The parament which hang down the front of the altar is called the superfrontal. Paraments of the same material, color, and usually symbol hang on the pulpit and lectern. These are called the pulpit and lectern antependia, pulpit and lectern fall, or pulpit and lectern frontal.

Throughout the year, different banners are hung which often correspond to the liturgical seasons.  These banners, often handmade by members of the congregation, reflect Biblical truths through words and pictures, focusing our attention on Christ and His work for us in light of the focus of the season.

Flowers often adorn the altar or chancel.  Flowers and other plants are symbols of God’s creation, carved representations of which were included in the artwork of Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6:29-36).  With their freshness and beauty, flowers and plants suggest the life that God gives. The flower for the Christmas season is the poinsettia. The plant's association with Christmas began in 16th century Mexico, where legend tells of a young girl who was too poor to provide a gift for the celebration of Jesus' birthday. The tale goes that the child was inspired by an angel to gather weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the church altar. Crimson "blossoms" sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful poinsettias. From the 17th century, Franciscan friars in Mexico included the plants in their Christmas celebrations. The star-shaped leaf pattern is said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, and the red color represents the blood of Christ. The flower for the Easter season is the lily, which blooms white around Easter, representing Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and His holiness.

At most churches, two flags are placed near the chancel.  One is a Christian flag, the other the American flag. Placing flags within a church building is a new addition to the decorations of a church, introduced during the World Wars to highlight patriotism to the United States. (Some question their placement within the church building because of the secular reasoning for their inclusion).  These flags can represent the Doctrine of the Two Kingdoms (or Two Reigns) which teaches that God rules His creation in two ways. God rules the heavenly, or right-hand, kingdom (His spiritual kingdom) by means of the Gospel and His grace. This is represented by the Christian flag on the right hand side of the chancel (as you face the altar). God also rules the earthly, or left-hand, kingdom through secular (and also churchly) government by means of Law. This is represented by our national flag located on the left hand side of the chancel (as you face the altar). 

Churches commonly also also uses various seasonal decorations.  The most obvious of which is the Advent Wreath and the Christmas tree.  Originally, the Advent Wreath was used in the home to count the weeks of Advent with one candle being lit for each week.  Today, it usually adorns the altar in the church for the same reason. The wreath is a circle of evergreen branches with four candles. With the use of The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), a rose colored candle was lighted on the third Sunday; the others being purple or blue to match Advent’s liturgical color.

The Christmas tree decorates the church during the season of Christmas, which begins on Christmas Eve and lasting until Epiphany on January 6. (Though often time it is placed in the church during Advent. While this is acceptable, the Advent and Christmas seasons should not be mingled).  The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Germany, some say by Martin Luther, but this is not certain.  The evergreen tree represents life, and is decorated with Christian symbols called Chrismons. An angel or star is often placed at the top of the tree, representing the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity.

Other seasonal decorations include black linens draped over the main chancel cross for Good Friday, representing the death of the Son of God, and white linens draped over the cross during the season of Easter, representing the resurrection.

note: post 7/11 adapted from my brother's writings