Christmas is coming! I love Christmas.

The parties. The feasts. The packed sanctuaries. And it has been a great privilege for many years to preside each Christmas Eve at the Candlelight Service.

You know, as we come to conclude our church Christmas Eve gathering, the time comes when the pastor takes his dark candle to the "Christ candle" in the center of the Advent wreath. The assembly room is darkened. He lights his candle as the elders come forward. Then each of them lights their candle from his. They then walk down the aisles, passing the light to the person on the end of the pew, who, in turn, passes it down the rows. The light spreads to the sides, and all the way to the back of the packed house and the guitar begins to strum the beautiful tune of "Silent Night." The people begin to sing the first verse. The momentum builds, the volume builds through the second verse. And then, with candles lifted high, the musicians stop and the congregation sings the final verse a cappella.

Silent night! Holy night!

Son of God, love's pure light.

Radiant beams from thy holy face,

with the dawn of redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

As we finish, and the candles shine brightly, we remember the words of Jesus who said, "I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Our Christmas parties have been canceled. No sound of feasting this year. On Christmas Eve our church sanctuary will only have 70 people in the room, socially distant, with the rest earnestly joining us online.

Yet, together, even in this hard and painful year, we will sing and remember "the dawn of redeeming grace." And our souls will rejoice with great joy, worshiping "Jesus, Lord, at thy birth."

Musing’s from Pastor John, December 20, Click to Email Pastor John

Click Below for Pastor John’s sermon from December 20, What Do You Think About the Christ? - Matthew 22:41-46