Christmas Cards

Every December when the Christmas cards start coming in the mail, I am drawn back to Christmases past when I was growing up. I have a vivid memory of sitting at the dining room table with my Dad to my left, one of my brothers to my right, Mom at the end of the table, and the other two brothers across the table. Yes, we had assigned seats. Being the lefty in the family, I needed that corner. We won't get into the left-handed issues here - that is another blog for another time.

We sat at the table for dinner, as we did almost every night, and once the dishes were cleared and the freshly-baked Christmas cookies passed around the table, Dad would begin opening the Christmas cards we had received that day in the mail. He would read each one silently, maybe making a comment or two about the sender or the card, then the card was passed to me. Unless it had a beautiful scene or a funny caption or it came from overseas, and if I didn't know the sender, I would quickly pass it on. 

AND, if there was the annual Christmas epistle included, I DEFINITELY was not going to take time to read that. I was confident that if there was some bit of good news or bad news, Mom was going to comment on it when the card and letter made it to her. Quite often, we four boys had no idea who these people were that Mom and Dad were talking about, but we sat and passed the cards as they came to us. 

I can still recall those conversations about friends moving, new children arriving, family vacations and celebrations, as well as illnesses and deaths. The question was asked at least once a night, "Did we send THEM a card?" or "Did we get a card from them last year?" And sometimes it was, "Who is this?" Then the cards were placed in a wicker basket and placed by the Christmas tree, so when our extended family would come for the holidays, they could look through the cards as well.

Mom and Dad had a system. Dad had a box of index cards with names and addresses on them. When a friend moved, the card was updated by crossing out the old information and adding the new below it. On the back of the card was a list of years, followed by letters "S" and "R"- sent and received. Each year, the cards were scrutinized carefully, and if you haven't sent a card in the past two or three years, there may be a real possibility you would NOT be receiving the annual Woodward Letter, sent on colored paper and carefully detailing the activities of each of us boys, our family travels and information about extended family as well. Believe me, this was information you didn't want to miss!

I still enjoy receiving Christmas cards. We hang them up on the hallway door and give thanks for the greetings and news we receive. And now we receive emails and electronic letters too. I know that the letters and cards we receive do not contain all the joys and sorrows our friends and loved ones have experienced in the past year, but embedded in each one, there is a contact, a connection, a memory. These are gifts from God.

And I find my wife and I having the same conversations Mom and Dad had over the dinner table years ago. "Did you see that the Smiths are moving?" "Can you believe their daughter is in the eighth grade?" "Did we send them a card this year?" 

Thanks be to God for our friends and loved ones who take the time to send us these greetings. The news we receive and the memories it brings are things I cherish this season.

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

TWO MORE THINGS:
1. The blog is taking a long winters' nap and will be back on January 8th. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
2. I hope you get to church for Christmas Eve service this year, wherever you may be come December 24. From a sister congregation in Des Moines, Iowa, here is their invitation to worship for Christmas Eve. If you can't make it to Des Moines, know you are welcomed here!

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

This past weekend at Epiphany Far Hills campus, our worship was built around the Children's Christmas Program. This year's offering was "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever." I have to be careful about what I say about the show since I was in it - so was Pastor Jay! We shared the part of Reverend Hopkins - Jay took Saturday's shows, and I was on for Sunday. I think we got the part because we already had the costume.

That being said, the show was great! After 20 plus years of being the one responsible for the Christmas program, I can relate to the story told in this year's show. It is about putting the annual Christmas pageant together, and things don't go as planned. The play is about a family called the Herdmans - a family of rotten children. They lie, steal, swear, fight, light things on fire, and are generally feared in the community. When they get wind of the annual church Christmas pageant, they bully their way into the main roles and generally wreak havoc. What some feared would be the worst pageant in church history turns out to have a special quality that causes the community to rethink the real meaning of the Christmas story. (www.storysnoops.com)

Besides being a wonderful show, I am thankful for the blessings that we offer and receive through this outreach ministry. Here are a few that come to mind:

• All Are Welcome. Everyone who wishes to be in the production will be given the opportunity to do so. Even the pastors. Even those who are not members of the church. All are welcome, and are welcomed with open arms.
• Bridges Are Built. Children and parents, extended families come to participate and to see the program, and over time relationships are built. Epiphany becomes a place where those who come here feel at home and that they belong to the community. 
• An Army of Assistants Get The Job Done. Parents, family members, church members and friends join in to make up a great group of helpers, workers, supporters and friends. The names of those helping out was longer than that of the cast. Amazing!
• Talents Are Tapped. Epiphany has a unique ministry with the drama program. For over 20 years, children and adults have been given the opportunity to get on stage and try their hand at acting. I can see the confidence and communication skills that the children develop through this program. We also know that the stage is not for everyone. There are builders and seamstresses and props people and sound and light people. So many different talents all working together to share the message.
• Opportunities To Try. Some of our helpers were asked to serve in areas that were new to them. One of the blessings the church has to offer is to be a place where people can try new things and see if this is where God has gifted them. We might make mistakes, but grace abounds. 
• We Proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. One of my favorite lines from this year's show was by one of the Herdmans. When Imogene Herdman asks what the Christmas Pageant story was about, she was told it's about Jesus. Imogene's response was, “Everything here is!" To that I say, "Yes, yes it is!"
•  What We Proclaim is Good News. The angel comes to proclaim Good News of Great Joy, that UNTO YOU is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Good News! Great Joy! I saw a lot of smiles, heard a lot of laughter, and experienced a great deal of joy at church this weekend. The reason I became a pastor is because I want to share this good news of great joy. It was tangible this weekend, and for that I am thankful.

I am sure you can add to this list. 

I hope and pray that this season of Advent preparation and Christmas celebration be filled with hope, joy and peace. And I pray that we as a church do all we can to share that message for all who gather here, and all who carry it out the doors and into the world. 

Amen, Come Lord Jesus!

Peace,

Pastor Charlie

Tis the Season

I have a confession to make. I really love to listen to Christmas music once Thanksgiving is over. I know, I know... Christmas music is for Christmas. Let's not get ahead of ourselves and forget about Advent. Every Advent it comes up - we shouldn't rush into Christmas and miss out on the anticipation, waiting and hope of Advent. On the other hand, there are many who ask why wait till Christmas to sing those great Christmas songs? And by the time we GET to Christmas, do we really want to hear MORE Christmas songs?

Advent is a time of preparation, being ready and making room for Christ in our lives. As a pastor, the time of Advent is a time of preparation for all the Christmas celebrations at church. So what better way to prepare for Christ and for the Christmas celebration than with Christmas music! Can you see I am trying to justify my music selections?

That being said, I thought I would share some of my favorites that I have come across in the past few days. I hope you enjoy these offerings. I invite you to share some of your favorites with me. My hope and prayer is that the music not rush us into Christmas, but rather be an avenue to focus our hearts and minds on the greatest gift ever given, Christ the Lord.

"Mary Did You Know?" by Pentatonix

"Angels We Have Heard On High" by The Piano Guys

This video I created last year. The nativity scenes were displayed last year for Advent at Epiphany. I took pictures of them and added these songs:
"Some Children See Him" by James Taylor
"Welcome To Our World" by Amy Grant
"Away In A Manger" by the Piano Guys

One more - "Silent Night" by Pentatonix

Let EVERY heart prepare Him room!

Peace,

Pastor Charlie