Nativity and handbells . . .

We had a wonderful evening last night.

I was tremendously impressed by the children's Nativity. They did a great job of presenting the gospel story of the birth of Jesus. They were well behaved and right on cue.

Then we came indoors for the handbells. The N.O.R.C.E. handbell choir presented four songs for our pleasure and inspiration. We actually had quite the packed house, with a number of visitors.

My epiphany for the day came from one of the little girls who was in the nativity. As she and I were coming back around from the Youth house to the sanctuary, she kept saying over and over, "My daddy is here tonight!!" Her father has not attended our church before, and you could sense the joy in this little girl's heart that her father showed up, and brought his video camera. I hope she has that joy much more in the coming years.

Epiphany - Pontious Style....

Friends, this has been one of those days that open you heart and in which you find yourself saying "Christ visited us".

Sunday School was a wonderful experience, we spoke of Mark 2:1-12 and visited the players in the story...the paralytic, his four "cot carriers", the scribes and the crowd. The class would not let me forget that our church has members of each group and that we step up and minister, all in different ways, all playing out the parts of this wonderful story.

It was a good day, before I ever got to the sanctuary.

When you sit on the back row of the choir, and I will remind you that I have the most wonderful seat in the room, singing between two blind men, who lead me to worship on a weekly basis, but the back row does not always allow you to "hear" the music. Rather, you sometimes have to work to hear the message of the music...and it happened today...from the offetory with its hidden lines, to the choir specials...the music touched me and I was primed for the sermon.

So pastor speaks of my old friend John, and his way of telling of one who is coming later...no, I have never been offended by someone sharing their faith walk with me...no matter the content or perspective of that faith walk...and then we read scripure from John, and substituted our own name...powerful perspective changing stuff.

But my epiphany came this year as I sit behind Travis Dunn. My friend Travis has had a life that has been forever changed by a bout of menigitis when he was an infant. In a less "politically correct" time, you would have called Travis "simple". And yet this "simple man" brings me to that place that no other person can. The invitation song was "Redeemed", Travis is singing in front of me at the top of his lungs, almost yelling out the words...it is in that moment that I am overcome with the impact of this song...Redeemed how I love to proclaim it..

You see, the epiphany comes when you least expect it.

It has been a wonderful day already and yet there is still a living nativity and NORCE Bellringing this evening...Christ is with us this day.

Pont

An Advent Story

It was the second Sunday of Advent. My boys had been asked to read scripture in the worship service. A common practice at Cornerstone, but still a moment to make a parent proud.

They were reading one after the other and asked if they should go up on stage together. Knowing the dangers of such a combination, I needlessly gave in to my thoughts of how perfect that would be.

The ten year old read first, maintaining composure and concentration. I saw my twelve year-old’s focus shifting from scripture to all the things that can run through a boys mind at such an age. His passage was not too long, but also not too short. As he stepped to the podium, he had what I hoped would be enough composure to make it through. My ten year-old had stepped back and was still on the stage, his composure quickly fading.

The twelve year-old began, but the giggles came. Precariously teetering between childhood and adolescence, he stopped reading. He tried to begin again, but suddenly realized that he had lost his place. All eyes were in his direction. What to do? He laid down his head and hoped the proverbial hole would open in the floor that would swallow him up. The tears of frustration and embarrassment came.

From my pew just a few rows from the stage, I wanted to rush to the front and sweep him up. Rescue him as all moms are prone to do. But I felt God’s Spirit speak to me and say, “Wait. Watch. A life lesson best learned here is about to take place.”

My perfectionist, defeatist preteen was about to learn about failure and unconditional love. The kind of love sent from Heaven to Earth in a manger. The kind of love exhibited by my church family.

Dad came from the choir and put his arm around his son. “Let’s read this together,” he said. But the son was too devastated to continue. The dad read and then the son retreated from the stage to the pew, head buried in his sweater.

As he sat in the pew, still wishing for the hole to appear and planning his retreat to the vehicle immediately following the service, I sat praying and thanking God for my church family. I knew what was going to happen after the benediction.

As soon as the pastor blessed us, I turned my son to me and told him that some people may want to hug him and talk to him and that he needed to stay. He balked at the idea. But I insisted, saying, “You need to let them love on you.”

I no more had finished when he became enveloped in the first hug. With more hugs, tears, encouragement, and other’s own stories of such happenings, our church family loved him back to laughter.

On the second Sunday of Advent we light the candles of hope and peace. On the second Sunday of Advent, my twelve year-old learned these words in a new way.

Cornerstone Family,

This year, the Sarver family is giving you a Christmas story. A story you have helped to write.
Few of you may realize all that truly happened the second Sunday of Advent. You may not realize until you read the story that God was working in miraculous ways in our midst.
Thank you for being Cornerstone.
Thank you for allowing your heart to be His manger.

With love,
The Sarver Family

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We will be having some Sunday evening services this month. Tomorrow (Dec. 4) we will have our "Hanging of the Green" service @ 6:30 pm. We will complete the decoration of the sanctuary, listen to the choir "rehearse" some music for the season, and then eat our heavy hors douvers. Wonderful fellowship - always one of our highlight services of the year.

But we may top it the next week. Sunday the 11th, 6:30 pm, we will have our Children's Nativity, and our special guests, the NORCE handbell choir will perform. I just listened to them, and I'm still dabbing my eyes. What a blessing. NOW is the time to make your plans, and invite friends and neighbors to attend.

No evening service on the 18th.

Christmas eve is Saturday, Dec. 24 - 6:30 pm. This is my favorite service of the year - kinda a family Christmas service. We will sing - A LOT. If you have relatives in town, plan to invite them. We always have a packed house.

Christmas Day is on Sunday this year, and so for that morning, we will not have Sunday School, but will have our regularly scheduled service at 10:15 am. What a glorious day!!

A little busier than usual - but you will find joy as a result of your worship.