The Christmas Story - Your Part

During the young people’s story in the Sunday service, a group of teenagers put on a little skit about searching for the right present. One of the actors asked me to join her, handing me a stone. I hesitated. What was I going to be asked to do?

She told the congregation that she had been looking for some Christian Rock but instead had found a Christian with a rock.

This is the time of the year when every breathing child in Sunday School gets seconded into the cast for the annual Christmas pageant. Before you realize it some grownup is slapping a tea towel on your head or sheep ears or a tin foil crown. Next thing you know, you’re on stage.

Drama is a wonderful way to be pulled into the story. And it’s not just for children or teenagers. In this season all of us get pulled once more into this story in which messengers speak amazing words of blessing and promise to the most ordinary of people.

That gives a whisper of hope to even the most uncertain of actors. There is a small but important part for each one of us this Christmas.


Peter



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Your Part In God's Christmas Pageant

I get a front row seat for the pageant every Advent. Best seats in the house. Even on a busy Sunday they are the last to be filled.

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This morning the view included angels rubbing sleep from their eyes, enormous yawns, a little thumb sucking to cope with the stress, removal of lambs' ears for a closer look, twisting of hair and the look of sheer joy as we clapped along to The Virgin Mary had a Baby Boy.

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The excitement of the drama pulled a few "extras" from the congregation.

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I spotted one little guy hopping with excitement near the piano.

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Another little girl joined the cast. I wasn't sure if she was a sheep but she was the best crawler in the group. Dry land could not contain her imagination so she helped us to see what wasn't there by swimming up and down the aisle.

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These "extras" remind us of the intent of the Christmas pageant, to be drawn into the action and see ourselves as characters in God's drama of love.

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What part would you you like to take this year?

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Peter

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Sadness and Joy

This afternoon we will gather for one of the quiet, meditative services of the year.

When this was first celebrated in the United Church, it was generally called the Blue Christmas service. Now we are calling it Journey in the Light or Light in the Shadows.

The original title acknowledged the feelings of those who were so aware of the loss of a loved one or other difficult situation that could drain all the joy out of the season.

The newer nomenclature still refers to the Shadows but also to the Light that can penetrate into those places that leave us feeling so sad and alone.

Most importantly these are times when we can gather with a common awareness that we are not alone. Others share some of the pain with us. If you have known sadness at this time of year, you have a spiritual gift of being able to be aware of the pain of others.

And so we will light a candle in Memory of our Loss, one for Compassion and Community, one for Wisdom, one for Faith. Then each of us will light a candle for the one we are missing. And surrounding it all, enveloping us all in the most significant of lights, a candle for the glow of the Christ in our midst.

This little circle of friends somehow cuts to the centre of the season in a way that no other service does. I always leave feeling moved and grateful.

Peter



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