December 23rd in a minister’s life means making sure everything is ready for Christmas Eve. That does not mean, “Are the cookies ready for Santa and are the presents all under the tree”. That happens too, it is a given. It means making sure the readers are prepped for the services, that the candles are ready for the candle lighting, that the bulletins are in place and the many volunteers that make the hospitality happen are primed and ready.
The important part of making a service seamless is in all the preparation that happens ahead of time. Preparation that most people know nothing about. I have been emailing and texting and phoning throughout the day and am now assured that the many, many disciples I count on to welcome our Christmas Eve congregations are ready for tomorrow night. My colleague, Jen has been doing the same thing, as she is planning and coordinating the family services.
We have three services on Christmas Eve. Over the course of the evening we will have over 500 people gather to hear the ancient and beautiful story that tells of God’s great love incarnated in the person of Jesus those many years ago. That means, counting ushers and choir and readers and bulletin folders and offering counters and candle wranglers, there will be over 50 volunteers contributing to the hospitality of the evening. I think that is a remarkable show of dedication! I am so grateful for those who contribute so selflessly of their time so that all will feel welcomed to celebrate the birth of Christ.
Tomorrow night, carols will be sung, scripture will be read, greetings will be shared. There will be a feeling of peace and harmony. We will also be reminded that Christ was born into difficult and frightening circumstances with grinding poverty and political unrest. Many of the fluffy Christmas stories miss the painful reality of that first nativity. God came to people of low estate and little consequence despite the message of God’s birthing into humanity could not be stopped. The same thing will happen again this year. Those who need most to hear the message of God’s love will have ears to hear and the angels will sing again.
