After fifteen years you would think I’d have this down.
However, every year is different.
And the day you think you can just slap together the same thing you did last time without thinking it through, feeling through how it will be with today’s congregation, and praying to know where the Spirit is leading you’d better just pack it in, Plum Puddin’s. Get another job.
I’d love to give the newbies a word of comfort and joy and say that this season gets easier but it doesn’t. It just gets more full of memories. Take time to breathe, to look at the sky, to watch for a star, and to smile. God loves you and so do I.
Kiss of peace. MWAH.
Ever more thankful that I’m an Episcopalian. The people in the pews on Xmas Eve want the same carols at the same place in the service. The readings are always the same. Variety is provided by the pre-service music, and the flowers. And wondering if anyone will keel over at the altar rail-because of the pre-service partying.
So restful if a preacher can just come up with a new twist on the Good News.
Goodness gracious woman, don’t you do that on the computer?!!!
While the ability to “punt” is a necessary pastoral skill, you don’t just “wing” what is powerful for people. The balance between easing them towards depth/understanding/growth and respecting what is beautiful and powerful (if somewhat incomplete)is a job which requires a lot of energy and thought. But at least with a couple of years and a couple of congregations in your background you have some material worth recycling.
AND SOMETIMES people are in the office fiddling around with the Christmas Eve Order of Service and they open their mail and get a Sephora Gift Card from one of their pigeons and it’s just such a wonderful surprise!! Thank you, Susan!!
I remember one year when our Sr Minister got very ill at the last minute, and the lovely and talented Rev. Gidget had to step in and lead the Christmas Eve service. The service was beautiful and she gave a great sermon. I remember wondering how the heck she pulled that off so quickly. Not thinking, being a non-minister myself, that she probably had it in her back pocket “just in case”.
There’s a rhythm to liturgical worship that allows me to focus on the message and the moment. We don’t have to rebuild from the ground up every year, and can take advantage of the particular talents available each year. (Yes, the “bones” of the worship are in the computer files and we can fiddle with details easily.)
Peace and Blessings to all!
Aww, Gina, you’re so sweet. Yes, I definitely felt the challenge that year. And I definitely had an old sermon folks hadn’t heard that I spiffed and snazzed up for the occasion. I can still see Scott (our music director) plunking my shell-shocked self down in one of the front office chairs, and coaching me through what happened at the early service, what happened at the later service, and how to not mix them up.
Yup, thank God I’m an Episcopalian! Work out the music, and pour yourself in the sermon cause people with way better liturgical knowledge than me worked the rest of it out already! 🙂
My pleasure, my dear!
This picture cracked me up! I thought, “How did PeaceBang get into my papers?” I have been carrying around a bunch of Christmas Eve bulletins that look just like that, revising and revising. Finally finished last night at midnight, ready for final review at staff meeting today, headed to printer by 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. Whew!
Thanks for the comfort of knowing I’m not the only one out there carrying around these crazy, creative pieces of paper.
First Christmas Eve + First Call = High Stress. I somehow managed NOT to collect Christmas Eve bulletins from my home cong, field work cong. and internship cong – how ignorant is that. Then the Christmas Eve bulletins for my current congregations were missing. We did find then last Sunday night – apparently the previous pastor used the same one over and over and they were kept with the Christmas carol booklets for the pagent carol-sing.
Still, it’s stressful and I’m still fiddling with the order of worship for Eve and Day. And the organists are crying for the music list. How did I let myself get so far behind? My only consolation is that next year I’ll have this year’s to copy from! (And I’ve learned a lesson about keeping my own copies of celebratory worship services!)
Slide over on that “Glad I’m an Episcopalian” bench. The combination of BCP + Parish tradition means that the skeleton is there already, all I have to do is add my little touches.
Says she, sitting at the computer memorizing a felt board story for the family service on Christmas Eve, having spent part of the morning making the felt figures!
your comment reminded me of my first Sunday school teacher, now 65 plus years ago – she had a flannel graph – it was a big honour to get up and put Mary on or a donkey – when I think of the story that’s the picture that comes to my mind to this day – a lovely memory – thank you
Just wait until it’s the first year you AREN’T doing a Christmas Eve service, and feel what a hole that leaves in your life.
Curious to see what it will feel like to be in the pews this year for the 10:00 p.m. candlelight service (all the time knowing that the ministers are totally exhausted after conducting three previous services that afternoon/evening…)
Not that I’d prefer not to be retired or anything… Just sayin’
I’m touched, nellie; you’re very welcome! I hope my stories become good memories for these kids. This year they helped me put stars in the hearts of all the witnesses by the manger. 🙂
Something to save for next year’s Christmas.
My church has three services in a row on Christmas Eve. A small troop of members (including myself) has taken on fixing dinner for the staff that evening. I don’t know who started the idea, but I cooked last year and this year. Enchiladas or lasagna, a big tossed salad, maybe homemade soup, home-baked bread, coffee and tea, some desserts. We try to include all the dietary restrictions and preferences.
We decorate a table to set up in the kitchen. (If we set it up in the parish hall, others would assume they are invited.) Staff and clergy help themselves as they’re available and take their meal some place quiet to enjoy it.
It is so appreciated. I had heard that in previous years, someone sent out for burritos and they ate standing up in the kitchen! Not a way to nurture the souls and bodies of our staff.
Those of us who cook and clean up really enjoy Christmas Eve dinner duty. We have a team so there’s also time to attend a service.
We pay for supper ourselves or split the cost among us.