cloud of witness

a thought for people

who don't deserve any
severeness against

Incense has long history in Jewish and Christian worship. Mount Olive uses incense on festival days and during festival seasons, and at Evening Prayer services during Advent and Lent, as another way to employ our bodily senses in worship. As the psalmist wrote, “Let my prayer rise before you as incense.” In the ancient Hebrew tradition, the incense itself is our prayer.

downy feathers fly

dresses the earth into

a wintry fairytale

The rising clouds symbolize a cleansing from our human failings. Incense is used to honor holy things and holy people — the congregation, the servers at the altar, the Gospel book and the paschal candle. The incense recalls St. Paul’s description of a “great cloud of witnesses”, saints from around the world throughout ages with whom, we join mystically our communion.

tonka bean incense

a perfect advent flavor

candles lit alight

http://www.mountolivechurch.org/worship.html