Twelve Days

It bothers me that the world has highjacked Christmas. The celebration begins earlier and earlier each year. When I was younger, the lights did not come on and the Christmas music didn't start until after Thanksgiving. This year, I think I heard some in the stores before Halloween.

Before Christmas is Advent, and it is NOT a time of celebration. Advent is a time for contemplation; a time to prepare our hearts; a time to look forward to the blessings that God offers through His Son.

Then on Christmas there is the announcement that Christ has been born - we have a Savior, Emmanuel, God with us, and the celebration begins. And...there are set aside twelve days of celebration. Unfortunately again, the world has pooped us out on celebration. We are ready to pull down the decorations as soon as the presents are open. We are ready for the music that we have heard everywhere to be gone as we rush back to our everyday lives.

We have celebrated during the time of preparation, and now the only contemplation we have is how to lose the weight we've gained from the partying and how to pay the bills from the presents.

Would that the people of God could take back this celebration of ours from a world that has abused it so.

So, with that, I wish you a very Merry 5th Day of Christmas (did you get your golden rings). May your celebration continue! Remember Epiphany is coming - and for that event, we who are gentile believers have a lot to celebrate - God's light is revealed to us, bringing salvation, not to the Jews only, but to all the world! Hallelujah!

Richard

Pageant of the Holy Nativity

First Baptist Church of Jefferson, Georgia presented The Pageant of the Holy Nativity this past Sunday evening, December 14 at 6:00 p.m. This tradition began in 1946 and is under the leadership of a very capable Pageant Committee.

This year is my second year to attend, however, as the choral director (also for the second year), I have to honestly say that I have never seen the pageant. The reason, of course, is that the choir is positioned in the baptistry, which in our church is off to the side, behind a stand of trees that grows miraculously the week before the pageant and disappear the following week.

However, judging from the responses of the people, this year was a highlight and a blessing to many. I am especially grateful to those who gave of their time and effort to stand in the baptistry for almost an hour and do an outstanding job of presenting the music for the pageant.

The following musicians were a part of this year's wonderful choir: Renee Ansley*, Charlene Barber, Darryl Bradley, Gwen Brooks, Gerald Clark, Allie DeNovo, Mary Donahue*, Claire Guined, Jim Hix*, Steven Hix*, Steve Kinney*, Bonnie Meaders, Scott Piotrowski*, Penny Waters, and John White. As always it would be impossible to make this presentation without the leadership and musical skills of the choir organizer and organist, Glenda Tolbert. Thanks so much to all!

May your Christ birth season be highly blessed,
Richard