As Advent approaches, we would like to invite the whole congregation to join our children for the Jesse Tree devotions each Sunday of Advent in the nave at 9:10. It is a tradition at LCH for the children to present this short service of music and readings during Advent. During the four Sundays of Advent, the children will be focusing on the people in the Old Testament that lead the way for Christ. This year the Jesse Tree service will be held on December 2, 9, 16, and 23. The older children will read Bible stories and prayers, the youngest children will hang ornaments on the tree representing each story, and everyone will sing the Jesse Tree song.

Sometimes called the Root of Jesse or radix Jesse in Latin, the Jesse Tree is a visual representation of Jesus’ genealogy dating back to Jesse, the father of David. The Jesse Tree is found in the writings of Church Fathers, Latin hymns, and in visual arts—especially during the 12th to 16th centuries.

Each week’s presentation is divided into segments referring to key figures in the genealogy. Each segment begins with one child who introduces the character by describing key events in their life and relating those events to our lives today. During this presentation, one of the younger children hangs the individual’s symbol on the tree. Then all the children sing the verse about that individual from the Jesse Tree song, with the congregation joining in the chorus. Each week, the chorus grows as new inviduals are added. And when Advent IV arrives, we can sing the whole story of the Jesse Tree:

Jesse Tree, Jesse Tree,
sign of God’s fidelity,
that he may love eternally—
 
the promise made to Noah,
and Abraham and Isaac,
and Jacob on a journey,
and Joseph and the tribes;
 
and as well to Moses,
and David who’d be king,
and Solomon, his son,
and Jonah in the sea;
 
to prophets like Isaiah,
and to Ruth, a woman wise,
and Daniel in the den,
and to John who baptized;
 
and last made to Mary,
and Joseph in a dream,
was Jesus, Son of God,
who came here to redeem;
 
all who waited for the coming of Emmanuel.