Many of us have fond memories of Christmas past, especially when we were children. I have two that I want to share. One is of my two uncles competing to see who could toss icicles to the top of the ceiling high Christmas tree. (These were to old-fashioned foil tinsel kind; you can't do this with the modern ones. )
The other memory is of the extended family gathering on Christmas Eve, or the next night, to enjoy singing around the piano and sharing Christmas goodies. While the cookies, fruit cake, (Grandma's famous butterless-eggless-milkless cake, a war time recipe that would cost an arm and a leg to make today) and punch were good to have, it was the music that meant the most to me over the years.
We had a stack of old hymnals, and two aunties who took turns playing the piano for us. We sang four-part harmony all evening, starting at the beginning of the hymnal and singing our way through all the favorites, especially the Christmas carols and hymns. If the pianist didn't know a particular hymn, she would play the opening notes and we would sing acapella. We sang until we ran out of hymns, lost our voices, or the aunties got too tired to play.
I miss that celebration and the extended family gathering. However, the memories are fresh and the music is still meaningful to me. I love all the music of the season, especially the old familiar carols and hymns sung in that old-fashioned four part harmony.
Four-part harmony? There's a lesson in there somewhere. The different voices blending together made something beautiful to experience. When we as a people, a wider community or nation can learn to blend our voices in such a way as to create a greater harmony, how much more beautiful our world will be.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Associate Pastor's Office Hours
Our Associate Pastor, Sonya, has recently established an office in the main church building and is keeping regular office hours on Tuesdays from 1:30-3:30p and Thurdays from 2-4p. If these times are not convenient, call the church office (509-525-6702) for an appointment.
To find this office, come in the front door, climb the stairs to the loft and knock on the door at the top of those stairs. Please come visit, or enjoy a free guided tour after any Sunday service.
To find this office, come in the front door, climb the stairs to the loft and knock on the door at the top of those stairs. Please come visit, or enjoy a free guided tour after any Sunday service.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Christmas Cheer?
It seems as though when I am feeling all snuggly and comfy, coffee in hand, maybe a good book on my lap, that is the time something speaks loudly to me – at the times I least expect it.
Having been married to a firefighter for many years, there is always a police/fire scanner making noise at my house. Most of the time I tune it out, but there are those times when I hear something that drops me to my knees. This story is sad but oh, so true. It began as a routine call for the Medic to report to a location for a possible broken hand. One hears things like that all the time, so I didn’t really pay a whole lot of attention to it until I heard the paramedic call for an officer to that location. He stated that this person was faking a broken hand because he had no where to go. My heart broke; it was late and cold. A hopeful ride to the hospital to get out of the cold was his desperate plea. My mind was spinning as I looked around me sitting all comfy, cozy, my Christmas tree all lit up, and yes, sipping my nice warm coffee. I suddenly felt sick, guilty, sad, wealthy, and thankful – all at the same time. We talk about the homeless, we bring food and blankets, coats and clothes to shelters, but we don’t usually actually see them, we only hear about them. We know they are out there, but if we don’t know who they are or actually see them – the men, women, children, and families, we help meaningfully, but in a somewhat detached way. This man became very real to me at that moment. But what happened next was the beautiful part of this story.
The officer arrived on the scene and all was quiet for a while. After several minutes, I heard the officer call in to the dispatcher and say he would be out of service for a bit, as he was taking this gentleman to get something warm to drink and get him out of the cold for a little bit. That officer was an angel at that moment.
This event has lingered on my mind all week long. I have wondered what happened to that man, where he ended staying for the night. Was he warm, and was he fed? I have remembered him in my prayers as well as all those who are without a home and/or family this winter. As we prepare for our own Christmas festivities with our families and friends, let us remember those who are going without all the wonderful pleasures we share and how at times, we overindulge ourselves in those pleasures.
May the true meaning of Christmas come to each of us in our own special way this year. May we never forget to give thanks for the things we have and share our abundance with those who are so in need. Christmas cheer is so much sweeter when we give the gift of ourselves.
May God, who gave to us the ultimate gift of His Son, bless each and every one of us in a very special way this Christmas Season.
Having been married to a firefighter for many years, there is always a police/fire scanner making noise at my house. Most of the time I tune it out, but there are those times when I hear something that drops me to my knees. This story is sad but oh, so true. It began as a routine call for the Medic to report to a location for a possible broken hand. One hears things like that all the time, so I didn’t really pay a whole lot of attention to it until I heard the paramedic call for an officer to that location. He stated that this person was faking a broken hand because he had no where to go. My heart broke; it was late and cold. A hopeful ride to the hospital to get out of the cold was his desperate plea. My mind was spinning as I looked around me sitting all comfy, cozy, my Christmas tree all lit up, and yes, sipping my nice warm coffee. I suddenly felt sick, guilty, sad, wealthy, and thankful – all at the same time. We talk about the homeless, we bring food and blankets, coats and clothes to shelters, but we don’t usually actually see them, we only hear about them. We know they are out there, but if we don’t know who they are or actually see them – the men, women, children, and families, we help meaningfully, but in a somewhat detached way. This man became very real to me at that moment. But what happened next was the beautiful part of this story.
The officer arrived on the scene and all was quiet for a while. After several minutes, I heard the officer call in to the dispatcher and say he would be out of service for a bit, as he was taking this gentleman to get something warm to drink and get him out of the cold for a little bit. That officer was an angel at that moment.
This event has lingered on my mind all week long. I have wondered what happened to that man, where he ended staying for the night. Was he warm, and was he fed? I have remembered him in my prayers as well as all those who are without a home and/or family this winter. As we prepare for our own Christmas festivities with our families and friends, let us remember those who are going without all the wonderful pleasures we share and how at times, we overindulge ourselves in those pleasures.
May the true meaning of Christmas come to each of us in our own special way this year. May we never forget to give thanks for the things we have and share our abundance with those who are so in need. Christmas cheer is so much sweeter when we give the gift of ourselves.
May God, who gave to us the ultimate gift of His Son, bless each and every one of us in a very special way this Christmas Season.
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