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Each year, our church participates in a beautiful tradition, the flowering of the cross. It is a highlight of the Easter service. It is incredibly participatory for our intergenerational church, creates a beautiful (and tangible) illustration of life out of death, and makes for an amazing back drop for Easter photos.
I've had several people ask about the logistics of creating a flowering cross of their own, and also what a liturgy might look like. Because there has been such an interest, I have decided to write out both the logistics (with photos) of how to put one together, and a liturgy as well.
Holy Week is BUSY for those of us in ministry, so the more we can share with one another (especially tips on how to make things more simple) the better. This is VERY simple to put together, but has a significant impact.
First, this is what our cross looks like for Good Friday.
This is obviously far from a flower cross. Last year we gradually blew out candles throughout the service, and it made such a visual impact that we will probably do that again. If anyone is interested in our Good Friday liturgy, I'm more than happy to share that in another post, just comment that you'd like to see it.
Our cross was built by a couple in our church, and I'm happy to get instructions for that as well. It's unfinished (I like the look of it that way), and it inserts into a base, which makes it much easier to move when we need to move it, and creates a great platform for vignettes like the one I created for Good Friday.
The cross is simply draped in a black cloth for the Good Friday service.
On Holy Saturday, I turn over the cross from Good Friday to Easter. It's a work Saturday for me, as I stop at the local florist (I highly recommend working with a local florist, to build relationships and support local businesses) to pick up our Easter lilies as well as getting extra flowers for the flowering of the cross, and reset the sanctuary.
If flowers are growing outdoors (which is very dependent on where you live, and where Easter falls) I encourage using those. We ask everyone in our congregation to bring flowers from their gardens or to pick up flowers from their favorite florist. Our cross ends up looking very different every year because of this. It's important that we have our congregants participate, because it's to symbolize that we are a resurrection community. That what started with Jesus continues with us, as we breathe life in the dead places of the world.
After taking the Good Friday decor down, I then wrap chicken wire around the cross. The chicken wire extends beyond the top and arms, but doesn't extend fully to the back (it doesn't need to). It extends just enough to look great from any angle someone would be sitting in. I encourage you to measure and cut your chicken wire ahead of time, so you aren't doing that while trying to reset on Holy Saturday. The cross looks like this when wrapped in chicken wire. (Notice the extra flowers from the florist. I tend to purchase a couple bunches of inexpensive, but beautiful flowers in various colors)
The reason I like to use chicken wire is that it is nearly invisible when seated in the congregation. It also is very easy to weave flowers and greenery through, even for our youngest congregants.
Once the cross is wrapped in chicken wire, then I arrange the white cloth. This actually takes me longer than the chicken wire, because I get pretty particular about how I want it to look.
I always leave the extra flowers at the foot of the cross for Easter morning. The florist and I have a great relationship at this point, so they always let me take their large buckets with me, which come in handy. Having some greenery like Eucalyptus, or palm branches are also a nice inexpensive touch to the look of the cross.
On Easter Sunday, nearly everyone brings flowers in, many bringing extra for guests they know that are coming from out of town. Our cross gets more and more full each year. Another nice thing about the chicken wire is that it is easy to keep adding until the dross is very full.
We flower the cross at the end of our service following the Eucharist. It fits really well for us. I talk about remembering Christ's death, and that we too are called to die, but that the heart of our faith is resurrection. That we are to participate in resurrection life in the world as well. Sewing seeds for the kingdom of God, and breathing resurrection life into the world.
We play upbeat music about the resurrection, and it feels like a celebration. Since our services are intergenerational, everyone gets involved. The tall adults lift toddlers up on their shoulders to reach the very top. Board members make sure that visitors are all given flowers to contribute. It's a beautiful image of resurrection community.
This is what our cross looks like when it's finished! The colors change from year to year, and it seems to get more and more full each year.
I know there are some churches who use silk flowers that they reuse each year. I prefer real flowers for a few reasons 1) there is enough plastic pollution in our world without contributing more and real flowers are compostable 2) it feels weird talking about life with something that's not alive 3) it feels much more participatory when people are bringing in their favorite flowers.
People linger around the flower cross for a while. Taking photos and celebrating before we take off for brunch. It makes for great photos with family, and everyone loves it.
(Easter 2019)
This leaves the question, what do we do with the flowers when we are done? After brunch, we encourage people to make bouquets to take home. It's a good reminder for them throughout Easter week about being resurrection in other places.
I know it seems like a lot of work for such a short part of our service, but it really is that impactful and looked forward to so much, that I get joy doing the work for it each and every year. It's a highlight in my year, and I love all it represents in the life of our church. It really feels like a moment that reenergizes us for our mission in the world.
However, if you want to enjoy it longer, many people flower the cross during their Easter Vigil at midnight. It would also be a great thing to include in a sunrise service (we find that our sunrise service is best when we are doing interactive things. We actually do resurrection eggs, lots of songs, and an easter craft to take home).
This is an example of what I say to lead us into the liturgy of communion and the flowering of the cross response:
(this was following baptism) As a resurrection community there is another act we participate in, and that is the Eucharist. It reminds us of the great sacrifice of Jesus for us, and again a reminder that we are called to live differently. We are called to walk the path of the cross that we might ultimately know resurrection.
Because we are talking about participating in resurrection today, we will not only be receiving communion, but we will also be participating in the flowering of the cross. It is a way for us to be reminded that God transforms broken and dead things into whole and live things. So as a response to our time of communion this morning, we ask that you also come forward to weave your flowers, and the flowers here at the foot of the cross, onto the cross as a reminder that we are participating with Christ in the redeeming, restoring, and resurrecting work in the world.
(this was following baptism) As a resurrection community there is another act we participate in, and that is the Eucharist. It reminds us of the great sacrifice of Jesus for us, and again a reminder that we are called to live differently. We are called to walk the path of the cross that we might ultimately know resurrection.
Because we are talking about participating in resurrection today, we will not only be receiving communion, but we will also be participating in the flowering of the cross. It is a way for us to be reminded that God transforms broken and dead things into whole and live things. So as a response to our time of communion this morning, we ask that you also come forward to weave your flowers, and the flowers here at the foot of the cross, onto the cross as a reminder that we are participating with Christ in the redeeming, restoring, and resurrecting work in the world.
(from our oldest son's baptism Easter 2018)
This is a beautiful and meaningful time for our church, as it leads well to celebration and being sent into the world. It also makes for some great photos!
I would love to hear about your flower crosses and see photos if you end up adding this into your liturgy this year, so send your stories and photos to me! Happy preparations for the busy season ahead!
