Greetings to all!
If you were at worship last Sunday, you experienced the joy of the
Walnut Hill Christmas Pageant as through word, and song, and costume
the children/youth reminded us of the old story we remember at
Christmas. What about that story, the shepherds, the angels, the
stable, etc., etc? There is much debate about the "facts" of the
story these days.
Who knows what the facts of Jesus' birth actually were? As for
myself, the longer I live, the more inclined I am to believe in
miracle, the more I suspect that if we had been there at the birth, we
might well have seen and heard things that would be hard to reconcile
with modern science. But of course that is not the point, because the
Gospel writers are not really interested primarily in the facts of the
birth but in the significance, the meaning for them of that birth,
just as the people who love us are not really interested primarily in
the facts of our births but in what it meant to them when we were born
and how for them the world was never the same again, how their whole
lives were charged with new significance. Whether there were ten
million angels there, or just the woman herself and her husband, when
that child was born the whole course of history was changed. That is
a fact as hard and blunt as any fact. Art, music, literature, our
culture itself, our political institutions, our whole understanding of
ourselves and our world - it is impossible to conceive of how
differently world history would have developed if that child had not
been born. And in terms of faith, much more must be said because for
faith, the birth of the child into the darkness of the world made
possible not just a new way of understanding life, but a new way of
living life.
(Frederick Buechner as found in "Listening to Your Life")
The Scriptures for Sunday, December 20, the Fourth Sunday of Advent:
Isaiah 9:2-7
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-20
(Sunday morning begins our week of Christmas services. Sunday's
service will be our Christmas Communion service, with traditional
liturgy, choir, and the sacrament.)
SATURDAY COFFEE - Walnut Hill men are invited to gather for coffee on
Saturday, December 19, 8am, at Paneras on Richmond Road. Feel free to
stop in for as long or short a time as your schedule allows. No rsvp
required.
SUNDAY CONVERSATIONS continue this Sunday, 10am, in Trinity Hall.
This week's conversation will include a brief video by Parker Palmer
based on his book, "A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an
Undivided Life." Feel free to enjoy a cup of coffee, join the
conversation, or just listen in.
CHRISTMAS GIVING: Thanks to all those who picked up an ornament off
the Giving Tree. Remember to return your ornaments, with the
accompanying gift, by Sunday, December 20. For those who missed the
Giving Tree or would simply like ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE during
this season, we are gathering some gifts for the Iraqi family we
helped resettle in Lexington last year. Let us know by reply email if
you would like to provide a gift, gift card, or cash toward this
effort. You may also contact Sherry Warden who is gathering these
gifts for our Iraqi neighbors.
CHURCH ROSTER: Copies of the new church address/phone roster are
available in the foyer of the Sanctuary. You may also contact the
church office (263-5304) to have one sent to you. Thanks to Jim and
Lee Tucker for their work updating and publishing our church roster.
POINSETTIAS may be "adopted" for the holiday season at $15/plant.
Contact Lee Tucker to adopt a poinsettia. Checks payable to Walnut
Hill Church. Adopted poinsettias may be taken home after Sunday
service on December 27.
SUNDAY HOSPITALITY - We welcome a volunteer(s) who would like to
provide refreshments after worship for this Sunday, December 20.
Remember that our Sunday refreshments need not be elaborate, just
something simple to gather around as we visit after service. Use
reply email to volunteer for this Sunday, or check the sign up sheet
in the Sanctuary foyer to host a Sunday after the holidays.
CHRISTMAS WORSHIP CALENDAR:
Sunday, December 20, 11am, Christmas Communion Service
Thursday, December 24, 5pm, "Carols and Candlelight" service for all
ages
Thursday, December 24, 9pm, "Evening Prayer Fireside" for adults and
older children/youth
Sunday, December 27, 11am, Morning Worship
THANKS TO...the children/youth for their words, music, and pageantry
last Sunday, and to Nell Horman, Lauren Fouts, Angela Hurley and many
parents for helping the children/youth present the Christmas story so
wonderfully; to the Bloomfield family for their gracious hospitality
in hosting our annual Christmas party last Sunday afternoon, and to 40
or so members and friends who made the gathering so festive.
Peace to all.
Mike Ward
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