Members of The Little Home Church by the Wayside, in the small community of Wayne, Illinois, gather each year to decorate the santuary in a time honored traditional called the hanging of the greens.
This church was built by early settlers and resembles houses of worship in New England in it's simplicity and design.
Mrs. Richardson and her friend sat in the back pew for as many years as I can remember. Her friend has passed away and Mrs. Richardson, who turned 100 years old this year, rarely attends church anymore. But the traditions that her generation and those before her instituted, live on with a few new twists.
Everyone who wishes to participate is given a task, and even the children help out. On the evening of the Christmas pageant, live animals (sheep, goats and occasionally a donkey) inhabit the creche just outside the door. One year the donkey brayed loudly through the entire pageant. The littlest newborn in the congregation serves as baby Jesus as the children reenact the Christmas story on the altar. Younger boys serving as cherubs look forward to the day they can move up to being shepherds.
7 comments:
What a beautiful little church and the greens are lovely. I bet the smell is heavenly.
Glad to see you're computer is back.
a warm wonderful church ... Christmas is so marvel - ous.
Welcome back on-line!
Glad your back! :)
Glad to see that you are back 'on air'.
John
http://lightandshadow.my-expressions.com/
What a stunner - it's so simple and such clean lines.
There's an old church in the teeny town in Ohio where I grew up that your photo immediately brought to mind.
The church is lovely. We had the hanging of the greens at our church the previous Sunday night!
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