Order Of Service For Naming Ceremony In Celestial Church

Culled from http://www.celestialnewsonline.com

In Celestial Church of Christ, it is mandatory to Christen a child exactly one week after its birth. In instances where the baby is not physically available at the parish where the naming ceremony is expected to hold, a substitute of a candle stick wrapped with white cloth with seven cross is provided in its stead.

However, the baby wherever it may be must have a taste of honey, salt and sugar that same day to welcome him fully into the world. Then  Luke 2:21-39 is read from the Holy Bible. That passage is talking about how Jesus Christ was brought into the Jerusalem for christened. That’s the footstep Celestial Church of Christ is following as divinely instructed to do.

SPIRITUAL ITEMS REQUIRED FOR NAMING CEREMONY IN CCC

1. White Basin

2. Holy Water

3. Honey

4. Sugar

5. Salt

6. Seven kinds of fruits

7. 2 packs of candle

8. Round candle stand

9. Incense etc

Naming service is subdivided into three phases that must take place simultaneously

1. Sanctification of the baby at the entrance

2. Full naming in the church

3. Handing over of the child to the mother at the entrance.

NOTE: Before the sanctification of the child at the entrance, certain things must have been put in place. i.e 7 candle stand in a white basin in which three of the candles should be lit.

Provision for a prophet that will carry the child should also be made, female prophet to carry a female child and vice versa.

ORDER OF SANCTIFICATION AT THE ENTRANCE

1. Prayer_Jehovah, Jesus Christ, Holy Michael.

2. Jehovah Ramah  (3ce)

3. Psalm 24

4. Short prayer

5. Sprinkling of Holy water on the child

6. Handing over of the child to the prophet who is to carry it.

ORDER OF SERVICE FOR THE FULL NAMING IN THE CHURCH

While singing Hymn 929 Awa yo dupe, the whole congregation dance into the church in this order

1. Incensee carrier first

2. Followed by the basin carrier

3. The prophet carrying the child

4. Seven elders

5. Choir

6. Children

7. Elders according to their ranks.

The seven elders with the prophet, the Incense carrier, basin carrier and prophet carrying the child will dance around the 7 kinds of fruit and the honey, salt and sugar placed in the middle of the church before the prophet then take a seat there. Service then begins proper

1. Hymn Yah Rah Sarah (lighting of the candle, the rest candle in the basin should also be lit)

2. Hymn Ya Rah Mah (all kneels down)

3. Jingling of the bell while the congregation chants Holy Holy Holy to the Lord God of Host

4. Psalm 51

5. Psalm 128

6. Gloria

7. Prayer for forgiveness and sanctification

8. Lord’s prayer

9. Hymn _forgiveness of sin/sanctification

10. Jerimoh –  Yamah (3ce)

11. Psalm 113

12. Gloria

13. Thanks giving prayer by service conductor

14. Hymn _Thanksgiving

15. Three members prayer – wisdom, knowledge, blessing and long life for the child

16. Hymn_power or holy spirit

17. Bible Lesson Luke 2: 21-39

18. Gloria

19. Announcement

20. The creed

21. Prayer by sermoner

22. Sermon

23. Prayer after sermon

24. Collection

25. Naming of the child _reading Deuteronomy 28 vs 2 to 14, Jehovah Chekohiram (3ce), prayer, Grace.

26. Thanksgiving

27. Closing hymn

28. Lords Prayer

29. Gloria

30. Closing prayer by female highest rank holder present

31. Grace by Shepherd

32. Seven Halleluyah to the four corners of the world.

33. Members and guests submit their gifts/money to the child and have a taste of the honey, salt and sugar, then picks one of the seven kinds of fruits

 

ORDER OF HANDLING OVER OF THE CHILD TO IT’S MOTHER AT THE ENTRANCE

1. mother kneels down with basin of water by her right and money& gifts by her left surrounded by the seven elders

2. Sprinkling Holy water on her

3. Making sign of the cross on her palm ( 3ce) by the Shepherd

4. Hand over the child to its mother

5. Prayer by the seven elders _peace, long life, victory, development, God’s light to be witg the child’s family, etc

6. Closing prayer and grace by service conductor

7. Seven Halleyah to the four corners of the world.

 

NOTES

• Where there is no male prophet to carry a male child, a young male child will carry the baby and sit beside a female prophetess and vice versa.

• The Order of Service written out is meant for non-service days (i.e. Sunday, Wednesday and Friday).