A New Year, Time to Blog!

Greetings!

Some of you will no doubt chuckle at this, but this is my VERY first blogging experience. But, how I could be the Director of Children's Ministries here at FCPC without posting things on the Christian Education blogspot? It's a new year, time to try something new!

So...here we go.

I am going to offer a few impressions of this past year's Christmas Eve Family Service. The 4:30 one, with the pageant. Remember? The one with all the Sunday school kids in assorted Bethlehemesque costumes. And the Charlie Brown Christmas music,, including an electric guitar and drums. And little kids singing The Friendly Beasts, one of whom was not too keen on being the beast which had been chosen for him. And the dog on stage. And the two girls in pajamas reading a story to two wiggly little kids in pajamas -- on a bed. And a little girl playing "The Brightest Star" who suddenly got stage fright but managed to shine after all, even though the points of the star were poking her in the chin. And a quick-thinking 5th grader, who picked up the very heavy, old rock upon which Mary has sat in pageants of old, and plunked it down at the right time, so Mary could receive the gifts from the shepherds and wise men while she held Jesus (cloth and foam) lovingly in her arms.

It was a short service (35 minutes with prelude and postlude!), but it taught me a long lesson in humility (a lesson I am sure to need repeated many more times).

As a performer and writer, I tend to want things to be PERFECT the first time. But, that is NOT "what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." It's a Story of an unlikely birth in an unlikely place. And a glimpse of God breaking through the veil which separates this world from the next. That cannot be stage-managed. It happens when you least expect it.

Nonetheless, I had put a LOT of work into that service. And I wanted it to be a lovely, charming, meaningful, artistic and profound experience for all those worshipping with us that afternoon.

Well...here's what happened instead. God took over. There were mistakes. And missed cues. And hesitations. I could feel my nerves fraying as it progressed. But...at the end, the chancel was filled with children and youth gathered around Mary and Jesus in the manger. The Story had been told once more. We sang all the usual Christmas hymns, ending on an up-note with Joy to the World. No one was injured. No babies cried (that I remember). Nothing was damaged. And most importantly -- the children had the experience of leading the congregation in worshipping God, of helping to bring Jesus into the world, once more. Amen.