Christmas Traditions (part 1)

FaithQuest’s teens and pre-teens recently traveled with us to Historic Brattonsville, SC to see a series of Christmas presentations using vignettes from the mid 1700s to the eve of the Civil War. We were first riveted by the passion of a “fire and brimstone” Presbyterian pastor who, in authentic dress and using excerpts from actual sermons of the day, denounced the celebration of Christmas for any reason. He ranted that scripture neither gives a date for Christ’s birth nor commends the Savior’s birth to be observed. He lumped the Roman Catholics and Anglicans in the same boat, calling us “pagans” and “profligates” who celebrate December 25 to excess and will have to “endure the wrath of an aaangrrry God.” Next, we visited Revolutionary era Presbyterians who invited us into their home for music and dancing, food, greeting visiting neighbors, and shooting period guns to celebrate the “winter” holiday. The Germans settlers in the next house showed us their evergreen “Tannenbaum” as they sang Silent Night and read the Christmas story in their native language. When we left, they asked us to keep their Christmas tree a secret for fear that their Presbyterian neighbors would disapprove of their holiday excess!

If merely having a tabletop Christmas tree adorned with paper cutouts and candles is excess, what would our Carolina ancestors think about our 21^st Century Christmas celebrations? We are inundated with marketing, shopping, and even Christmas music on the radio beginning before Halloween. Holiday parties, baking, writing Christmas cards, decorating our homes, gift wrapping and shipping, school “holiday” programs, concerts and other special events have the potential to take all of our available time in the month of December. Brattonsville taught the FaithQuest group that the debate over the celebration and commercialization of Christmas has been going on for centuries. The latest round came at the end of last week, when Ken Garfield, religion editor for the Charlotte Observer, lamented that on Sunday, December 25^th, Charlotte’s stores would be open for business but most of her churches would not.

If you look to history, it is rare to find principal celebrations of Christ’s birth in the daylight hours of Christmas Day. Though there are still some Christian churches who follow the pattern of that Brattonsville Presbyterian pastor and do not observe a celebration of Christmas Day, most Christians around the world have always celebrated Christ mass after the sun sets on December 24. It harkens back to our Jewish roots, when the new day actually begins not at midnight but at sunset. When the sun sets, the new day has begun. That’s why our Jewish sisters and brothers hold Saturday Sabbath worship on Friday nights and will begin this year’s December 26^th celebration of Hanukkah after sunset on December 25^th. That’s also why our principal celebration of Easter begins at sunset on Holy Saturday. I would have thought someone who covered the newspaper religion beat would have taken this opportunity to educate…but perhaps that doesn’t sell as many papers. Our family will begin the Christmas Day celebration on December 24^th at Church of the Beloved. Because this congregation is so young, pre-service music starts at 7:40pm and the Christ Mass will begin at 8pm (still plenty dark!). Children are welcome to come in their pajamas. We will hear the story of how the angels came to shepherds at night to announce the birth of the Messiah. We will continue our Christmas worship celebrations over the next two weeks, culminating in our Epiphany Pageant on January 8^th (more on Christmastide traditions and opportunities in next week’s eNews). On Christmas Day morning, the Harbin family will be thankful for the day off to spend at home with Jesus and one another. We will remember those who have to work on this holy day and pray that God’s peace and blessing will be upon them as they serve others.

Clifford King Harbin, pastor

Around Beloved… Beloved’s youth ages 9-15 have a Fusion night this Friday from 6:30-8:30pm at Beloved Garden. As we remember Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus having to find shelter in a barn because there was no place for them to stay, Deacon Deb will lead a time of discovery on homelessness as the group prepares for their work with Urban Ministries in the Spring of next year. Please reply so materials can be prepared. Don’t forget to bring $3 and a friend…Advent, the season when we prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus, is a great time to bring your friends, co-workers and neighbors to worship as new ones to Charlotte begin to seek a welcoming place to celebrate the Savior’s birth…Christian Formation for adults and children has its final session of the year this Sunday…The Beloved Band's incredible first CD, Looking through Windows, is a great gift for that person who needs a little something or a stocking stuffer. CDs are on sale each Sunday from the band, at Beloved Garden, or by mail. For more details, click here…Mark your calendars now for the annual Greening of the Church and Potluck Chili Supper that will take place on Wednesday evening, December 21. Sign up sheet will be in the Hospitality Area after worship this Sunday. (Needs: crackers, salad, chili (in crock pot), or dessert. Beloved will supply paper products, ice and drinks). Worship Set up begins at 5pm and decorating begins at 6pm….we will eat after the decorating is finished so the more hands to help, the quicker to eat…Calling all adults and children for Beloved’s Christmas Caroling / Music Concert for Oakdale Heights residents and memory care section on Wednesday, December 28 (the 4^th Day of Christmas) at 2pm. Kids and adults are welcome to bring their instruments to perform in addition to the group caroling. Contact Catherine Atwood here to let her know that you will be part of the group and she will supply you with more details…Job posting: Needed sheep, angels, or shepherds to participate in Beloved’s 5^th Annual Pageant to be held during 9:30am worship on Sunday, January 8, 2006. Respond to the Development Office or sign up in the Hospitality Area after worship.

Giving to Christ at Christmas… is an annual holiday tradition at Beloved based on a simple idea. It’s our Savior’s birthday. That’s why we give gifts to each other. So let’s begin our gift giving with a gift to Jesus. Through Giving to Christ at Christmas, we are able to touch in a unique way the twin heartbeats of Jesus: the Church, through which Christ seeks to draw all people to himself, as well as those in physical need. Each year since Beloved’s Christmas 2001 birth, followers of Jesus at Church of the Beloved have been asked to give the most generous, one-time cash gift we can—above and beyond our normal giving as we would with any gift—to fund these twin heartbeats of our Lord.

In just four celebrations of our Savior’s birth, we have collectively given $26,236 to Jesus that assisted the children of Bethlehem during the height of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict; provided food, clothing and utility payments during a brutal Charlotte winter; cared for AIDS children in Africa and assisted ministries that continue working to eradicate the spread of this disease; partnered in the launch of Samaritan House, a ministry which provides basic recuperative care for the homeless of Charlotte after a hospital discharge; up fitted and furnished Beloved Garden as a spiritual enrichment center for adults and children; and funded the continuing Direct Mail Campaigns that are reaching more and more people in Charlotte’s South Perimeter.

This year’s annual gift to Christ at Christmas has a more personal Beloved connection. Many of you may know that our assisting priest, Fr. Benjamin Udochukwu Nnaji, will be leaving the United States on Christmas afternoon to complete his education in Switzerland. Fr. Ben loves Jesus and has a passion for children and for spreading God’s Kingdom. Half of Jesus’ Christmas gift this year will assist the secondary school, where Fr. Ben once served as chaplain and teacher, in its life-changing ministry among the children of Okigwe, Nigeria as well as provide funds towards Fr. Ben’s future as he completes his education and prepares to use the technology skills he has learned and intends to use in sharing the Gospel. The remaining half of Jesus’ Christmas gift this year will launch a Beloved Garden Scholarship Fund for children whose hearts are open to learn more about Jesus the Good Shepherd but whose family finances would otherwise prevent them from considering enrollment in FaithQuest.

How can you get involved? Bring your gift, marked Giving to Christ at Christmas, to Christmas Eve worship. If you can’t be present on that night, place it in the Sunday offering basket or mail it to the Development Office. Through these investments, countless lives will be transformed for Christ both now and in years to come. Our prayer is that this gift will truly honor the One whose birthday we shall soon celebrate.

Let’s Go High Definition…Beloved is raffling a 42” plasma HDTV to be given away before Super Bowl Sunday or when all 1000 tickets are sold. Because the donor is a national vendor, we are able to sell a raffle ticket to anyone residing in the continental United States. We are grateful to Fred Mellon who secured this generous donation and who is coordinating this effort on behalf of the funding team. We need folks to assist in the selling of these $20 tickets, either now or after the holidays. Let’s make someone’s Super Bowl Sunday a spectacular one and further the mission of Beloved at the same time! For tickets, please see Fred at worship on Sundays or contact him.

In our Prayers…we pray for peace during this time of Advent preparation and for the conflicted regions of the world…for those serving in Iraq, especially Tom Friend and Scott, Dan Hood's brother…for Nancy and Tony Hodgson's granddaughter, Emily, whose health is rapidly deteriorating…for Marilyn Doyon, Laurel Durham, Marie Duty, and Julie Haarstick who are expecting babies this upcoming year…for Susan Jordan as she continues treatment for rheumatoid arthritis…for Michelle Dezzutto, John Montagnino, and J.R. West who are recovering from surgery…for Herbert and William, Deb Seidel and Heather Philips’ grandfathers…for Jessie, Julie Sanniota’s mother who has been hospitalized…for Dorothy, Mary Reid's sister who is finishing chemotherapy for lung cancer….for Ed and Jean, Dick Reif’s parents who are in declining health in Oklahoma….for Bill, Lee Frickhoeffer’s uncle who has terminal cancer….for our missionary, Heidi Smith’s mother who has had a heart attack…for Lauren Skrobot as she undergoes medical testing.

Upcoming Calendar through Christmas...click here