Happy Christmas!
Jesus is unique. He is the Word made flesh. He is the only one who is fully God and fully human. As such, he is uniquely the focal point of the Christian faith and indeed of all history. He is worth celebrating! In the incarnation of Jesus, God becomes human, that he might show us what it means to live a truly human life and removes, through his death upon the cross every barrier that keeps us from that life and relationship with God. As the ancient theologian Irenaus of Lyons put it, “He who was the Son of God became the Son of Man, that man ... might become the son of God.” In the coming Christmas season we have the opportunity to celebrate this glorious truth!
We’ll gather at 5pm on Saturday, joined by the community at Church of the Violet Crown for a candlelight service. In addition to proclaiming the Gospel through word and sacrament, we will sing Christmas carols celebrating the gift of Jesus, our children will lead us in a few songs (they’ve been working hard), and we’ll enjoy refreshment together. Be sure to bring a Christmas treat of some kind to share!
On Sunday, Christmas Day we’ll gather for a short Eucharistic service at 11am. We will again sing carols, celebrate the Word become flesh in the physical stuff of bread and wine, and, in place of the sermon, the children will be invited to the front for a reading of the Christmas story.
Finally, on Sunday, January 1st, the final Sunday of the Christmas season, we will gather for a traditional service of Nine Lessons and Carols. In this service we will recount the story of God’s plan to restore all creation, culminating with the declaration that “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.” (John 1:14, The Message). That afternoon we’ll have a final celebration at the Ingle home, see below for details.
I so hope you can join us as we celebrate this season; friends and family are welcome!
Merry Christmas!
Peter+
Ps. Regarding childcare for these services, the nursery will be open for all children 2 and under. For Christmas Eve, following their singing, the older children are invited to a childcare program during the sermon. Otherwise kids are invited to be in the service for worship!