Dear Worshipers,
As I read to Samuel’s second grade class yesterday I made a passing comment about the Christmas season. I was instructing them that we are currently in the season of Advent, that period stretching four Sundays and through Christmas Eve leading us up to Christmas. Advent is the first season of the liturgical year. I continued saying that Christmas in the church year runs from Christmas [December 25] through Epiphany {January 6]. I could tell from the look on their puzzled faces that many of them had never heard of this sequence. For that reason, I wanted to take a few minutes today to familiarize you with it, in the hopes that it may renew your savoring of this season, which may have been partially robbed by the consumerism of our culture.
Among all the festivals and holidays of the Christian Church year, Christmas remains the most observed and most popular. Of course, much of that popularity, especially in the West, is due to the commercial promotion of the holiday. In many areas of the world, it is still a rather insignificant holiday even among Christians. Still, the Christmas story captures the heart in a way that transcends all the commercial hype. [From CRI/Voice Institute, © Dennis Bratcher. The remainder of this article can be found by Ctrl+Clicking this link. The Christmas Season Here you will find some other resources that may aid your Christmas worship.]
I said to the second graders, “Christmas, for most people unfortunately, lasts for about fifteen minutes on the morning of December 25th.” That is the case for so many folks. Having rushed around the days and weeks before Christmas to get gifts to leave loved ones dazzled leaves us feeling a little bit frazzled. The Christmas season can capture “the heart in a way that transcends all the commercial hype”, but only if we stop long enough to be captured by it.
This will look different for each of you and your families, but I want to encourage you to make the time, beginning on Christmas day if not before, to ponder the meaning of this season. God became one of us. He made a personal connection for us through His Son. He demonstrated His desire and ability to get personally involved in our lives.
Pastor David has been encouraging us these last few weeks to consider “The Miracle of Christmas”. [You can view clips of his Advent series at Advent Messages.] Many talk about Christmas being a magical season, yet that “magic” wears off too quickly for most. The miracle lingers for those who consider the meaning behind the season. Don’t you figure the shepherds talked about that “Silent Night” the rest of their lives? The angels probably recall with amazement the birth they “heralded” so long ago? I am certain the magi were filled with wonder for the “Star of royal beauty bright” long after they had arrived back at home. More on the Magi in a few weeks in the next “Tuning” on January 2.
In Christ, Pastor Scott
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