"I'm Not Done, Yet!"

No, the Brewster Family will probably not be asked to light the Advent Wreath next year -- or ever for that matter. We practiced so hard. Kile worked on reading his summary sentence about lighting the candles of hope, peace. joy, and love again. Max was going to say, "Let us pray." We had it down!

And, then the time came. It was the 5:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Service. Over 400 in attendance. My family makes their way to the Advent Wreath and Lectern. Kile did a perfect job! Gincy read about each candle as I lit them. Then, it was Max's turn. I lifted him to say his line into the microphone. He said it, "Let us pray" as only a 3-year-old can. I start to let him down as the congregation all sighed together ("ohhh..."). It was a Norman Rockwell moment (if Norm included bi-racial families),

And, then if fell apart as Max started screaming (still in range of the microphone), "I'm not done yet. I'm not done yet." The sighs of the congregation turned into laughter. I prayed, but it was already over.

I have no idea what more Max wanted to do. We had not practiced anything else. He WAS done. Practice does not necessarily make perfect.

BIT: After Christmas Day, we get a feeling of being done. The presents are unwrapped. The special worship services are over. The decoration begin to come down. Yet, we know that Christmas is a season -- twelve days -- that leads into Epiphany -- which leads into Lent -- followed by Holy Wee and Easter. Advent is the beginning and Christmas keeps it going. So, as we celebrate this Christmas Season and as we move into Epiphany, my new motto is "I'm not done yet." Maybe Max just had a sense that things were just getting started.

IT IS CHRISTMAS!

Hodie! Hodie! Hodie! W00t! W00t! W00t!
IT IS CHRISTMAS TIME!
I've completed the grueling schedule of Christmas Eve Services, all of which were fantastic! I know I said "Merry Christmas" 400 times (we were at 908 in attendance before the 10:30 service). I had looked forward to just working two of the services, but somehow ended up working all four (sucker!). But they were glorious! I love Christmas!!! (there's those exclamation points).

BIT: Yes, I know it is nearly 12:30 a.m. but this is the earliest I've gotten in bed in years. This year the Brewster Family is celebrating a "No Assembly Required" Christmas. Hallelujah! So it will be an early to bed Christmas as well. Have a blessed Christmas and I'll be back from John's Island (a mission trip with the college kids) on Epiphany! I know I'll have some more material to work with -- I'm cooking. Pray, Pray Pray!!!

"Dancin' In The Streets"

Well, I don't know about in the streets (it was way too cold to be dancing anywhere but inside!), but there was dancin' in the aisles on Sunday. The Third Sunday of Advent was celebrated with JOY, JOY, JOY in all four morning worship services.

In Contemporary we actually had dancin'! Over a dozen dancers swirling -- dancers & singers inviting us to "Come and Join the Dance". Which got me to thinking ... (but I'll save that for the Bit) If you missed the fantastic liturgical dancers, they will be leading us in worship next Sunday in the 8:30 Super-Sized Combo Service (that's not exactly what we're calling it). And, they will begin our 3-song Processional at the 7:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Service.

BIT: Thinking about the liturgical dancers and the invitations we've been reading about from the prophet Isaiah got me to thinking about Martha & The Vandellas ... especially their song, "Dancin' In The Street" I've changed a few of the words to fit our situation, but you tell me, doesn't in fit?

Callin' out around the world

Are you ready for a brand new beat?

Advent's here and the time is right

For dancin' in the aisles

They're dancin' in Chicago

Down in New Orleans

Up in Kings Port City

All we need is music, contemporary music (sorry)

There'll be music everywhere

There'll be swingin', swayin' and organs playin' (forgiven?)

And dancin' in the aisles

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear

Just as long as you are there

So come on, every guy grab a girl (but think safe sanctuaries!)

Everywhere around the world

There'll be dancin'

They're dancin' in the aisles.

This is an invitation

Across the nation

A chance for the folks to meet ...

Can't you just see the Prophet Isaiah ... no probably not. Have a JOYOUS Advent.

w00t! It's Christmas Time!

Yes, this past Sunday, to my surprise, the children sang, "Hodie, It's Christmas Time" in the 10:45 Traditional Service. I did notice (or at least I believe it to be true) that the exclamation point was not included in the bulletin as I thought I remember it from the "Hanging of the Green" Service. But, despite the absence of the exclamation point, it was a rousing Introit to our worship service. And, I had to chuckle again ... I just love that word, "Hodie!"

Last night a packed house experienced the Youth Choir's Christmas Presentation. It had spectacular bells, a touching solo, electrifiying presentations by a young men's ensemble "The Broad Street Boys", and of course the exhilarating presentation by the whole youth choir. I was trying to capture the "Spirit" of the whole night -- and yes, I was thinking Hodie! -- but I remembered an article from the Kingsport Times-News announcing Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year. It caught my attention because the word is a "hybrid of letters and numbers". It is "w00t", which according to the article is "used by gamers as an exclamation of happiness or triumph" and according to an online poll is "the word that best sums up 2007."

I know you're grinning! Yes, the Youth Choir Christmas presentation was a w00t!
BIT: W00t! It's Christmas Time! I like exclamation points!!!

Breakthrough!

At least we hope so -- well, there is an actual break through the wall from the old hall into the new hall of the Wesley Wing (formerly known as New Building [and by some by other names]). Hopefully the breakthrough will come as the Certificate of Occupancy tomorrow. Then the Program Staff will begin moving their stuff into their new offices on the bottom floor (I'm sure it has another name).

BIT: I don't think they are finished with the ceiling, or maybe this is a new "modern" architectural feature.

An Hodie! Experience

Yes, it happened when I least expected it. I don't know about you, but putting up the Christmas Tree can be a stressful event. Our pre-lit tree is now 5 years old, so it is beginning to show a little bit of age (i.e. some of its lights now require me to push and search to find why they will not come on). I was in the midst of such a search -- two half strands were not lighting and I could not find the replacement bulbs. Now, we have a unique tree (I know this will strike you as odd since I am so normal) -- our tree has bulbs that are faceted and the guy gave us some extra bulbs when we bought the over-priced tree when I asked if we would ever be able to find replacement bulbs. So, when we had burned out bulbs, and I couldn't find our bulbs, it wasn't a matter of running to Target to get some -- there is no such animal. I was stressed -- half the tree was up and the other half was still in the box, I couldn't find the replacement bulbs, the tree was not positioned correctly in the window (yes, there is an exact position for the tree in the midst of our front window!) -- the kids (Kile, age 7, and Max, age 3) were wanting to put the ornaments on the tree before the branches were properly fluffed from being in the box. Gincy, my wife, had the vacuum out cleaning up one of the glass ornament explosions on the floor. And, that's when it happened ... right when I thought I might get into the medicinal "spirits" -- at the end of my mental rope ... Max, looking at the half constructed Christmas Tree in the midst of the chaos, jumping up and down, said, "Daddy, It's Christmas Time!" Kile, bouncing from leg to leg, chimed in, "We need some Christmas Music!" And lying on my back, underneath the Christmas tree, with the whirling sounds of the vacuum right in my ear ... I heard it ... the prophet Isaiah saying, "And a little child shall lead them."

I got up and said, "You're right." We need Christmas Music! I turned on the TV to the "Holiday Sounds" channel and went down stairs to look for the bulbs. And, amidst the endless shelves of boxes, I found them -- the replacements lights! And, the strand where I couldn't find the "bad" bulb ... when I begin fluffing the tree limbs, it started to flicker. There it was!

The vacuuming was finished -- All the lights were working -- Santa's fiber-optic head was placed on the top of the tree (Max's choice this year) -- "It's beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas" blaring from the TV ...

BIT: No, the ornaments are still not all on the tree. The room has not been straightened. My roast for dinner turned out to be a disaster, but still ... I had an Hodie! Experience ...

Bose?

What to my wandering eye should appear but two small speakers ... right next to the Paschal Candle. As many of you know, there has been a reoccurring feature in many of Clark's sermon's about his desire for Bose speakers. This past Tuesday we inaugurated our new speakers at the Mary Basham memorial service. These are "state of the art" speakers which have been tuned to the room in some magical way. We'll just have to see if it's for real or just an illusion of better sound.

BIT: Of course someone will have to notice that they are there (they are pretty small and blend pretty well with the columns ... oh, it's the sanctuary, someone WILL notice. Also, I guess we'll continue to hear about Bose speakers, I don't think these are Bose.

God Is Present And Active

Last night I gave the short devotional for the back to back smack down ... no, the Church Leadership Council (which was immediately followed by the Charge Conference). I shared a tid bit which I did not use in my sermon on Sunday. It comes from a sermon by Tony Everett:

Advent is a time to remember how God has been present and active in our expreience; times when we were certain of Christ's presence and guidance.

At the end of each day, the parents of Thomas (age seven) and Stephen (age five) always ask them what they remember most about their daily activities. After a day of riding their body boards on high ovean waves, their mother asked, "Boys, what good time did God give you today? What do you remember most?" Stephen declared, "I was flying for joy over those waves!" Thomase proclaimed, "I learned to ride over the waves on my knees!"

They got it! In family gatherings, choir rehearsals, Sunday school classes and committee meetings this Advent, share with each other those times, even scary times, in your life when you "just knew" that the presence and guidacne of Christ both placed you on your knees and lifted you up to fly for joy beyond the worries of the day. Christ has come! Christ is coming! Christ will come Again! Walk in the light of the Lord!

BIT: That was what I left out of my sermon ... hope you got the really good stuff! Hodie!

ANOTHER BIT: Really, What good time has God given you today?

Hodie! It's Christmas Time

Last night we officially kicked off the Advent Season with the "Hanging of the Greens" Service. The United Methodist Men placed luminaries around the entrances to the building and many choirs and groups sang and played during the service. One of the songs that the children sang was "Hodie! It's Christmas Time" which of course begs the question what is Hodie? I looked it up (which I should not have had to do with serveral years of Latin). Hodie can be translated "today, at present, still even now, at once."

BIT: I was thinking, we might translate it "Ready or Not! It's Christmas Time". I hope you're ready. If you were at the service last night (and there were a bunch), I know you got started off well.

ANOTHER BIT: Someone was asking what kind of "greens" we were hanging -- the response of course is ever greens. But if we ever wanted to change, I would suggest Turnip ... Hodie!