Christmas Worship

As we make our way to Christmas and the daylight hours become fewer, we long for the light to shine into our lives. We remember and we hope. The moods of this time are a mixture of surprise and assurance. These become part of the great expectations of those who come to worship and give us focus as we plan for our services. What is it that we need to do to allow this to be an authentic celebration of the birth of Christ? With all this in mind Dan Dick’s blog caught my attention.

"If this year is like every other year in recent memory, United Methodist conegations will see a marked increase in attendance on Christmas Eve. The estimates are general, but taken together they provide a striking range: most Protestant churches see somewhere between a 70-200% increase in church attendance on December 24. It is easy to assume that most people attend worship on Christmas Eve because of their faith, but what REALLY brings so many out just one time each year? Here are some reflections from a 2006 survey of once-a-year church attenders in UMCs.

Why do you come to church on Christmas Eve?

family — this is what my family does (tradition) and I want to be with family (30%)
music — I love the Christmas music and want to sing the familiar and favorite songs (22%)
experience — I love the songs, the candles, the story, the feeling (16%)
focus — Christmas has gotten so crazy; I like the clear focus on the reason for the season (12%)
habit — we do this every year (11%)
faith — this is the most special and important event in my faith; I wait all year for this (5%)
other — friends asked me, I got an invitation in the mail, I just decided to, etc. "

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A Season of Traditions

As Christmas approaches, I have discovered once again how tightly the heart can be bound by tradition. Simplifying Christmas does not come easily when each custom, decoration, ornament, card and recipe tell stories from our past and seems to require continuance lest something important about Christmas at the Osbornes will be lost. So, we find ourselves in the midst of the usual seasonal activity and maybe much of this is especially important this time of great economic uncertainty. Although gift giving is certainly part of our celebration, we have always known it is the thought and not the quantity or cost that matters. We are blessed to be able to tell the Christmas Story through our own traditions and truly know the message of peace, joy, hope and love. May it be so for the days and years to come.

FYI: Ron and I bought this star forty-one years ago for our first Christmas tree.

Let's Walk to the Stable

As we enter into the season of Advent, I am sensing the usual conflict of thoughts and emotions about how we journey to Bethlehem and this Robert Ariail cartoon doesn't help. However, perhaps this state of mind might be the way it should be as it offers an opportunity for important reflection and introspection. Maybe the preparation becomes more purposeful. For this I often seek wisdom not only in scripture, but also in the thought provoking words of others. Last evening my sister introduced me to these lyrics of the hymn, Like a Child, by Daniel Charles Damon.

Like a child love would send to reveal and to mend,

like a child and a friend, Jesus comes.

Like a child we may find claiming heart, soul, and mind,

like a child strong and kind, Jesus comes.

Like a child we will meet, ragged clothes, dirty feet,

like a child on the street, Jesus comes.

Like a child we once knew coming back into view,

like a child born anew, Jesus comes.

Like a child born to pray and to show us the way,

like a child here to stay, Jesus comes.

Like a child we receive all that love can concieve,

like a child we believe, Jesus comes.

#2092 The Faith We Sing

Thanks, Mary!