It’s been a strange December. Being suddenly without a regular job, working as a contractor for some IT Consultants who could use an extra hand, getting an interview for a very promising job that looked like it was made just for me – only to receive the “Dear John” letter yesterday.
I was really looking forward to our Christmas Eve services last night. Last year we came home from Phoenix in time to make it to the service, only to have icy roads prevent us from getting to church. No such problems this year since we are in our new building, with no icy hills on the way there, and the daytime temps have been 40F+ for the past few days so roads are clear.
This year we had two services, and packed the house for each one. Because I’m part of the praise team I not only get the privilege of singing some great music, but I get the added benefit of seeing the congregation as they sing. WOW – I was just blown away with the looks on their faces as we sang God’s praises together!
The service ended with the tradition of lighting candles as we sung “Silent Night”. Here’s our worship leader, Patty Gross as we sang. In the background the candle lighters are lighting their candles from the Christ Candle.
As we sang each verse of “Silent Night”, the congregation would raise their candles when we reached the last two lines of the verse. Again, during the closing blessing, candles were lifted high.
“Silent Night” is a very moving way to close a Christmas Eve service, but as the blessing ended I wanted to send the congregation out by jumping back into the chorus of another song we had sung:
Shout for joy
For the Son of God is the Saving One
He's the Saving One
Shout for joy
See what love has done
He has come for us
He's the Saving One
Christ is indeed “Emmanuel” – God With Us. I’m wishing each of you the joy of knowing him personally. May you also be able to Shout for Joy!
