By the time you read this message, some of you may have enjoyed the turkey and all the fixings that went with it and some of you may even have done some Christmas shopping. I hope to work on the family Christmas letter/cards, so they can be mailed the following week. So many preparations!
We create many rituals in our lives. Rituals connect us with our own past and with the memories of our loved ones. Rituals connect us with one another -- not just with family of origin but also with the family of humanity. I know for some a specific scent may trigger a memory, while for others it could be a specific hymn/song/carol!
The season of holidays is filled with many such rituals. The decorating and celebrating, shopping and wrapping, giving and receiving, turkey and candles, slowing down and trying to catch up with all that needs to be done. We at Broadway will keep up with many of our rituals of the holiday season -- some as they always have been and some in a slightly different way.
We will decorate! You are welcome to join us on Saturday, Nov 30th from 9:30- 11:30am or Sunday Dec 1st after the second service.
We will celebrate -- by singing hymns of Advent and Carols at last!
We will study the story of the birth of Jesus, but this will be a little different than how we remember the story always was told. On Wednesdays, during Bible Study, we will use the Advent devotional, “Low.” If anyone desires to join this 3 week study -- let me know so I can give you the devotional book.
We will acknowledge that not everyone feels happy and joy-filled during this season and will join in ritualizing the grief and sadness some may feel during this season with a “Blue Christmas” service on Wednesday, December 18th @7:00pm.
Due to changes in life and circumstances, we will not have our ritual “Christmas Cantata” this year. Fewer voices and even fewer available to sing made it difficult to keep that ritual. I know many will be disappointed, but I invite you to explain to them that sometimes circumstances demand that we create new rituals.
Beloved, let us continue to celebrate the rituals that continue to be life-giving, revisit those that have served their purposes and let us also look to start new ones that bring a refreshed meaning to our lives and faith! And, as always -- let us hold each other, our church and the universal church in our daily prayers invoking God’s presence among us. I will see you all on Sunday and we will continue to be the church where all are welcome! Prayerfully, I remain your partner in justice.
