SYMBOLS IN WORSHIP

The ancient practice of liturgical worship is filled with wonderful symbolism: colors, dressings, and implements that remind us of parts of our relationship with a holy and eternal God. The list that follows is not exhaustive, but it includes the most common symbols and explanations of their meanings. The intent here is to guide the worshipper into a deeper experience of the presence of God in the worship setting. We should be reminded that we use symbols because we like them and find them useful to teach us lessons about God. Often we have attributed symbolic meaning to practices we like for the sake of giving meaning to what we like.

Cross

Central to our worship space and to our understanding of who God is and what God has done for us is the Cross. To some the Cross is foolishness; to others it is a stumbling block. The Cross, the ancient Roman instrument of torture and death, is a great reminder of the trip Jesus made to a cross where He took on Himself the sin of all humanity and there paid the ultimate price for sin.

Altar

The Altar is traditionally the place of sacrifice. Throughout history, people of every tribe and nation have made sacrifices on altars. This was true of God's chose people who offered bulls, lambs, goats, doves, and grain in various forms of sacrifice, the primary being the sacrifice of atonement for sin. The Cross became the altar on which God offered His own Son, an act pre-pictured in the replacement of a ram for Isaac when Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his own son, as the final atonement for our sin.

White Altar Cloth

The Altar Cloth, traditionally one that has been sewn completely by hand, is symbolic of the empty grave cloth found by Jesus' disciples after His resurrection. The Altar Cloth reminds us that Jesus did not stay dead but that He rose from the grave victorious over sin and death to prove His power and seal our salvation.

Colors

One of the most notable symbols seen on entering the sactuary is the colors of the paraments hanging from the altar and pupit. The color of the pastor's stole matches that of the altar paraments. The colors used corrolate to the seasons of the Church Year.

Altar Candles

Two candles grace the Altar. These are symbolic of the "two persons of Christ," the Biblical teaching that Jesus was and is both God and Man. In a way mysterious to the human understanding, He was able to meld the two without confusing them retaining His divinity while experiencing full humanity. So it is that the Word who became Flesh was able to be the perfect human sacrifice to take away the sin of the world.

Alb

The robes worn by the pastor and assistants have evolved through the centuries so that it is even difficult to precisely trace the evolution. Vestments most likely find their origin in the spiritual robe of righteousness in which the believer is clothed. In recent western liturgical tradition the pastor wore a black cassock which was covered by a white surplice, the white of righteousness covering the black of sin. More recently the cassock and surplice combination has been replaced by the Alb. The Alb is perhaps a more comfortable and contemporary symbol of Baptism and, again, being clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

Stole

The pastor wears a Stole over his Alb. The color of the Stole matches the color of the paraments. It is a symbol of the yoke of Christ which is placed on him as he is ordained into the ministry of Word and Sacrament.



Eternal Light

The eternal presence of God is often symbolized with an Eternal Light. This is a light that is tradicionally a candle kept burning all the time. It is ususally in a red vase, red showing the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. Economics, convenience, and safety have recently brought about limited use of the Eternal Light. Many churches have replaced the candle with an electric light.