Dear LCC Community,

This past Sunday, which was our First Sunday after Christmas in our Christmas season that continues until January 6, the day we celebrate the Wise Men’s arrival at the manger, we decided to change things up a bit in worship. We tilted the service toward children (of all ages). During sermon time, Kim Mohlar read How the Grinch Stole Christmas while the pages of the book were displayed on our big screen in all their fantastical Dr. Seuss glory.

 

Stephen Dydo and Susan Altabet passed out instruments and invited all to play them while singing along to “Deck the Halls” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

 

We also sang Christmas carols, prayed prayers which would hopefully engage children, and read scripture passages regarding children. In fact, the lectionary-suggested Gospel reading was the story of Mary and Joseph missing 12-year-old Jesus on their way home from Passover in Jerusalem, because he had stayed in the temple and was wowing the priests with his questions and his understanding (Luke 2:41-52, from The Message).

 

Then we shifted to readings that I had hoped would speak to us adults, who need so badly to nurture and celebrate the holy child within us, as Jesus encourages us to do in Matthew 19: 13-14:“Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said ,‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’”

 

Finally, I read a “scripture reading” I hope we can all hear speaking to us. It is actually a compendium of many phrases from many books of the Bible. I share it here on the next page in hopes that you can receive it...that you can feel the truth in it during this season when we celebrate Emmanuel...God with us...born in the manger of our hearts.

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Peace and blessings,

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Lee

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