Beloved,

This will be our third cantata in a row, I believe, with some sort of serious snow threat (and believe me, the snow delivered the last 2 times). Let me tell you something:  both times, you turned out in spades. You walked. You carpooled. If it was safe for you, you came, many of you literally preparing the way of the Lord, but also the way of the Dibbie and the Barbara and others by shovelling and salting the walks ahead of time.

Let me tell you something else:  if you came, you said later that it felt even more delicious to be at church, because it cost you something to get there. There was a powerful sense of being in on a secret, of creating and protecting something vital:  not just sacred space, and sacred song, and lighting candles against the darkness, but the whole that all these things add up to, when you do it in the name of God, in the hope that God will come down and share life with us. Which is exactly what happened, 2009 (or 2013?) years ago, give or take. And will, doubtless, happen again this Sunday.

Tomorrow: Cantata Dress Rehearsal, 4-6pm, finishing touches. The fruit of 2 months of rehearsing, 28 or so adult and child singers, two dozen bell ringers, drummers, brass players, musicians, and readers.

Sunday morning:  Cantata! With Christmas folk music from Nigeria, Handel’s Messiah, modern carols that sound medieval, ancient carols that sound as fresh and juicy as a clementine. The Cantata will run the length of worship, about an hour, with time for welcoming, prayers, offering of self and gifts to God. If you have white-tissue-wrapped gifts for the Casa children, you can bring them and let them be blessed during the offering. We will also be collecting these “white gifts” on Christmas Eve.

The nursery will be staffed with TWO paid caregivers so parents of children under 3 can enjoy the worship service in blessed quiet!

After Worship: A fabulous brunch downstairs, with a kitchen crew of thousands. George is making trays and trays of cheese strata (a savory bread pudding), many of you are providing sweets and salads. We’ll sing carols at the top of our lungs, with accompaniment. And if you’ve taken home the name of a church child, at your leisure you can find your child (ask Debbie Duhamel, me or Laura Ruth if you’re not sure how to find your child) to give them the gift book you’ve purchased.

Other things going on during coffee hour:
~Equal Exchange goodies for sale (last Sunday!)
~Casa Christmas ornaments for sale (last  Sunday!)–self serve, donation in any amount
~Sign up for your FREE pictorial directory and photo shoot, Jan 8-9-10! on the coffee hour table

I’m sure I’ve forgotten something tremendously important. But the most important thing is that you come, bring people you love with whom you want to share the church that you love. And come expecting Christ to come, too–however big, however small He may look.

blessings
Molly