The Children

Good Morning Bethlehem Trekkers,

Stars! Angels! Shepherds & Sheep! Lion & Lamb! Crèche! Trees, Wreaths & Garlands! Candles! This time of year offers us so many rich images to capture the meaning and message of this sacred season. And of course there are also so many stories and legends that are now entrenched into the customs of Christmas. A Christmas without Grinch? Without George Bailey and his Wonderful Life? Without a trip down 54th Street? Without Charlie Brown’s Christmas? Without the bright nose of Rudolph? Without the Bah-Humbugs of Ebeneezer Scrooge? How empty my Christmas heart would be!

And for sure my Christmas would be more devoid of meaning and happiness if I couldn’t share this wonderful time through the eyes of the children in my life. Think about it…of course the lists to Santa are so very long and most items are more than just wishful thinking…then there are the messy kitchens filled with cookie baking and making gingerbread houses…the most creative efforts of wrapping presents…the Christmas trees that are heavy-laden with ornaments at the bottom and in the front…the playful ways of keeping secrets about that special gift for Mom or Dad or someone else dear…the squeals of delight at the simplest of things…the singing of Christmas songs with their own interpretation as they sound out the words…and most of all, the light and wonder in their eyes as they take in all that is happening around them…of course I’m intentionally leaving out their tears and tantrums that also are the reality of children (and some adults :) ), most especially this time of year!

During our Hanging of the Greens Service last Sunday, the children were certainly front and center-stage as we began to decorate the sanctuary. When they brought in the poinsettias there was such joy on their faces…they had been asked to help us decorate and they were so proud…so determined to get it right…and then as they helped put the ornaments on the tree, the older ones reaching as high as they could and the younger placing them on the first available branch before them…

…And then after all this came the attempt to settle into the Children’s Moment about none other than, PEACE…as they declared that peace was when everyone gets along; peace is the word that goes with quiet; when everything is calm…and as they were given olive shells…a symbol of peace…a bit of whining followed: “This one’s cracked…this one has stuff in it; she got a bigger one than this; his is prettier than this one—can I have another? And then in the spirit of sharing, one little voice whispered, “Can I get two? One for my baby brother?”

And who could have possibly anticipated the “Burp heard ‘round the Church” as the first word of litany of the lighting of the Peace Candle was barely out of the leader’s mouth? No it didn’t come from the leader; it came from an infant among us who had just finished his mid-morning feeding. Some burst out laughing immediately; some giggled while others shifted in their seats; and before long, the room was overflowing with laughter and we began a “do-over.”

And the recovery was well on its way as we were about to hear the scripture reading for the candle lighting. and if on cue, a child in the congregation began loudly crying. Talk about “…a voice crying out…In the wilderness…” We couldn’t have asked for better stage direction! :)

If there were those among us who were anticipating a solemn assembly for the Hanging of the Greens service, I know they must have left feeling a bit empty; but for those among us who come to worship with eager anticipation of God’s surprises, I know you left filled to the brim with the joy of this holy time as we enjoyed the presence of God’s Spirit and one another…
Truly we experienced the truth of the prophet Isaiah: “The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid…and a little child shall lead them…”

Blessings, Joanne