We have just a few characters in the nativity scene left. Mary and Joseph are our focus for this Sunday, with the baby Jesus coming on Christmas Eve. What might God have been looking for in searching for the couple who would become Jesus’ parents? Watch and listen to see what you think.
– Pastor Anne
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We will celebrate with a service of lessons and carols at 5:00 p.m. and again at 9:00 p.m. Both services will feature a retelling of the age-old Christmas story, singing beloved carols, and special music by Occasional Brass and Strings.
And, as is tradition here at Crawford, we invite you to join us in a Christmas Carol Sing-along from 6:30 to 7:00pm in front of our church, led by our Chancel Choir member, Kate Frisoli, and accompanied by members of the Occasional Brass. Caroling is outdoors so do dress for the weather!
Throughout Advent, we have spent time talking about the characters found in a typical nativity scene and offering blessings over a different categoy (the beasts, the angels, the shepherds, etc.) each week. We invite you to bring the baby Jesus figure from your home nativity with you to either Christmas Eve service for a special blessing.
As we continue our journey through the characters in typical nativity scenes, this week we put together two groups that weren’t at the manger even in the same year, let alone the same night: The shepherds and the kings. But looking at them together tells us something that is harder to see when looking at them separately. I am joined by Sal Caraviello for a conversation about the impact of these figures on the Christmas story and on our faith.
– Pastor Anne
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For the rest of Advent, we will continue to focus on the characters found in a typical nativity scene. And you’re encouraged to bring whichever character we’re talking about from your home nativity for a blessing during church. Last week it was the beasts. This week is Angels. Angels play several roles in the Christmas story, and on Sunday we’ll look at all of them. But what they have in common is that they always find it necessary to tell those to whom they appear to stop quaking in their boots. “Be not afraid!” they say. What’s that about, and what does their presence in these Advent and Christmas stories tell us about angels and the God who sends them?
– Pastor Anne
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After you’ve watched, be sure to subscribe to our channel!
