What a joyous week this is in our congregation! I am grateful to be experiencing the winter holidays with you for the first time. Although, the temperatures are dipping low outside, the spirit of warmth and community are alive and bright in this place. We lit the first candle of Hanukkah together last Sunday, we celebrated the dark of Winter Solstice and the coming of the light on Wednesday, and soon we will celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this weekend.
There is a lot to look forward to… just yesterday, a number of our families held a pizza, ice cream, and pageant preparation and rehearsal party. Our children have worked hard to become the angels, shepherds, animals, holy family, and more to tell the story of the birth of Jesus. You will not want to miss this re-telling in the Family Service & Christmas Pageant on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. A special mention of Amy LaRosa-Peters, our pageant director, and Miranda Broadbent and Mindy Clark, our lead costume designers. We couldn’t do it without them, and all the volunteers who make the pageant possible.
There are two different services on Saturday, and you can attend both if you’d like. On Saturday at 4 p.m. we hold our Family service and Christmas Pageant. At 8:00 p.m. we hold our traditional Candlelight service, including a homily, music of the season, and a bit of the magic that is everywhere if you look carefully on Christmas Eve. In addition, we will host a service on Sunday morning (Christmas morning) followed by a time of warmth and cheer with goodies to eat.
December provides us all various opportunities to gather with family, friends, and fellow congregation members to commemorate and celebrate whether through time-honored traditions or innovations. There are as many ways of observing the holidays as the human mind is capable of imagining.
If we can let go of the measure of expectations that accompany the measure of joy of these holidays, we can best appreciate the days before us. There is no “one way to do it,” contrary to whoever says that in your life. You can spend a holiday alone nestled up to a cup of hot chocolate, or you can spend the day with a whole gaggle of friends and family. You can spend the day in silent meditation and thanksgiving, or you can sing your heart out in raucous caroling.
The secret to holidays is the secret to all days. If we learn to let go of the confining expectations of how things are supposed to be, we can free ourselves and enjoy the day before us, the one that no doubt has quirks is precious and meaningful, and may even turn out merry.
Wishing you joy, rest, and renewal,
Rev. Alison