Third Weekend of Advent

 Friends, 

There are many “thank you” notes to send today, after last weekend. Thank you to our Synerjazz musicians, with Pastor Hayes, Parish Counselor Gretchen Carrillo, and Parish Nurse Ann Scott, for providing such a moving, healing Blue Christmas service last Saturday. And thanks to Dr. Michael Gass for his presentation on the Holiday Blues following Sunday’s worship service. One thing I love about St. Mark is that we don’t just jump on the popular bandwagons that draw crowds and make headlines. We circle back to ensure that others can be a part of the joy, especially those who are often left out or overlooked. That is a wonderful part of our DNA that was established years before I arrived and which continues to be an important part of who we are. 

 

And what can I say about Sunday’s Christmas Pageant? Wow! The initial kudos go to the kiddos, who did such a marvelous job of standing and delivering. It’s an amazing joy to see so many children, with such a variety of shyness and boldness, working together, taking their parts and doing them so mindfully, then watching it all come together so well. Many thanks to the parents, who were able and willing to work around many other commitments to help the children engage, the stage crew who converted our chancel from a play setting to a communion setting, Jane Reimund who helped each of the characters find an appropriate costume for their part, Pastor Hayes for helping with all of the communication along the way, and especially Laura Mulchay, for blocking, rehearsing, and directing it all. And in the middle of the bold performances and cuteness of it all, the children told the Christmas story in a way that allows all of us to cling to hope, even when we are afraid.

 

If you missed it or had trouble hearing some of the pageant, you can watch it here (the pageant starts at about 14:40). Or, you can read the poem that initiated the play and the script that follows here.

 

This weekend we will continue our Advent theme, “What do you fear? Insisting on Hope this Advent.” Sunday’s service will feature a special by our Handbell Ensemble, under the leadership of Deborah Fetterhoff, and after Saturday’s service we will gather in the Fellowship Hall for food and fun at our Synerjazz Christmas Party. It looks like another double-header weekend! 

 

Now, a word about Christmas Eve. In each of our worship services we will light the Christ candle from the flame of the Advent candles, then share the light of Christ, by taking the flame from the Christ candle and passing it to one another. The symbolism of this act is great. The Advent waiting and longing gives rise to the birth of Christ, just as the flame from the Advent candles lights the Christ candle. Then, each of us get to receive this light and pass it to others. What a beautiful expression of our life as a church. It is one of my favorite moments of the year to see the light spread from row to row as each of us becomes part of sharing the joy. And for the children, we will have glow sticks at each service.  

 

The 4:30pm Family Service will be centered around a question, “Who can God use?” I made a video of our theme song so that families can become familiar with it before the service. You can find it here. As we share the light of Christ, we will offer a way for the children to share their light in a unique way (that’s a teaser, folks!) Thanks to Jeff Elsten for his carpentry skills that will enable us in this service. 

 

The 7:00pm Lessons and Carols service, featuring our choir and a string quartet. Plan to hear and sing a lot of music, as we proclaim the joy of Christmas and share the light of Christ. 

 

The 9:00pm Synerjazz service will feature reflections on GNGJ – how the Good News of Great Joy disrupts our anxiety and brings us hope. We will welcome Rev. Lucy Stafford-Lewis as one of our guest speakers and will share the light of Christ as this service as well. 

 

See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark