Christmas Eve and Christmas Sunday 2011 at Timberlake UMC East

We had a Christmas Eve Candlelight service at Timberlake UMC East. While the service itself was good, it was a technological nightmare. All the songs and readings were on the PowerPoint and shortly after we started it shut down on us. Joanne tried to keep the service going from her seat at the piano, while I tried to remedy the problem and I didn't have a clue what I was doing. When I finally got it back up, the screen had shifted to the right, leaving off words from the carols and readings. Everyone was very kind about all the problems, but Joanne and I were mortified.

Our Christmas morning service went much smoother than our Christmas Eve service, no techno-glitches (Have you ever noticed that when things go well they don't make for very good stories? Just a thought) We had our service a bit earlier than normal, so folks could leave to spend the day with their families. It was a beautiful morning to celebrate with a nice turnout and great fellowship.

 A Very Merry Christmas to you all.

Visiting Disney Epcot in December

When Joanne and I arrived at Epcot the first and foremost place we had planned to head to was where you get your pictures taken with the characters.

Joanne had to get her very own, up close, by herself, personal picture with Mickey. But, I was standing close by to make sure she behaved.

You might notice that I didn't get my very own,up close, personal, by myself photo with Minnie. I was told that people were waiting in line behind us and there wasn't time for that. Aha, I think I see a problem here.

This was the "Finding Nemo" Ride at the The Sea exhibit. I call this picture "Joanne on a Half Shell".

This is the Italy Pavillion in Epcot.

We had dinner Tutto Italia Ristorante in the Italy Pavilion . It was the first time we had eaten there and it was excellent. The food and service are great, the old world atmosphere is great if you're looking to slow down a bit and catch your breath.

The real highlght of the day way going to the Candlelight Processional at the American Gardens Theatre.
The event retells the story of Christmas with a special celebrity narrator, Jodi Benson was the narrator that night, accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and a mass choir.

Joanne and I had finished eating dinner and were just walking by as it was getting ready to begin and decided to try and get a seat. They escorted us to the front row, right in front of the sign language interpretor. They may not have been the best seats for seeing the entire choir and orchestra, but we were pleased. The sign language interpretor on our side of the stage was a show in herself and I mean that in as good of a way as can be inmagined. She didn't just use her her hands; she had the facial expressions and body movements all incorporated. I could imagine someone not being able to hear the music, watching her, and thinking, "That's what it sounds like."

There was a family seated next to us and when the narrator was reading, the mother and the children would be whispering. At first it was annoying, but I realized it was a different language. After the program, I spoke to the mother and asked her what she was doing. She told me that they were from Brazil and that her children didn't speak a word of English. So as the narrator was telling the story of the first Christmas in English, this mother was retelling the story to her children in Portugese. I was reminded of how we, as Christians, are to retell the story of Jesus.

Joanne was trying to sneak in the side door of the English Tea Shop. But, why? To get in line to have a picture with Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, too.

Father Christmas came out to the Tea Garden and told us of the Christmas traditions in the United Kingdom. That is a ball of mistletoe atop his walking stick. When we got our picture taken with him, we had an opportunity to make use of it.

This was Brunhilda, who related the Christams traditions of Germany.

Another wonderful day at Walt Disney World.

Visiting Disney Hollywood Studios in December

The first week in December, Joanne and I went to Orlando for our yearly visit to walt Disney World. Our forst park to visit was Disney's Hollywood Studios. It was probably our last warm day during our visit, but we had a great time.

We enjoyed the rides and shows. I got to ride the Rock'nRoller Coaster twice, which is one of my all time favorite rides. We also went threw the Narnia set.

We ate at our favorite restaurant in the park, the SciFi Cafe. You are seated in seats the are like a car and watch old scifi movies. The food is great, the movies are a hoot, and the atmosphere is relaxing.

When the sun went down we headed over to the Osborne Family Christmas Lights. Christmas lights cover all the building and a lot of other things. The lights blink in time with some fantastic music like Mannheim Steamroller's "Carol of the Bells".

Every fifteen minutes there is a manufatured snow storm. Actually is small soap bubbles, but it's really cool to watch.

Even bicycle props were covered in lights.

It was a great ending for our first day at the parks. Its hard to walk away and not feel in a Christmas mood, especially if you got one of those hot cups of cocoa.

Just a Little Snow...

Well, we have had the heaviest snow in Central Virginia since 1996. It started Friday afternoon around 3:00 and finished on Saturday around 5:00. We got 16 inches at our place. While it is beautiful to look at, it is a pain to shovel and treacherous to drive in. Now I realize that some of you are going to think, "Is that all the snow you got, what's the big deal?" The big deal is that we aren't accustomed to this and most folks don't have a clue how to drive in it.

The sad thing is we had to cancel our Sunday services on the Mount Airy Charge. Today was to be our last Sunday of Advent and this evening was to be our candlelight Christmas service. Even if the roads were cleared, it would be too much of a chance that someone might fall on ice. You really can't put people at risk.

So, Joanne and I have been camped out in the house, except for an excursion trying to get the driveway cleared yesterday. I'll try to finish today. I've made eggs, bacon, English muffins, and coffe for breakfast; yesterday and today. I also made a large crockpot of chili. Joanne has been working on getting gifts wrapped and finishing up Christmas cards. We haven't lost our electricity, cable television, or internet. So, we're quite content to wait for the city snowplows to come and clear our street. I don't think cabin fever will be something that we'll be experiencing in this house.

If I can get out tomorrow, maybe I can take some photos of the snow, before it gets all walked on and driven through. We hope all our church folks are staying warm and safe.

Where's the Line to See Jesus?

Advent Services at the Mount Airy Charge

We continue our celebration of Advent on the Mount Airy Charge. At St. Andrews UMC the David Adams Family read and lit the Advent candles the second week, while the A.J. Nuckols family read and lit the candles on the third week.

At Republican Grove UMC our readers are Heidi Dawson, Betty Jo Dawson, and Patricia Fisher. I have been lighting the candles each week. At Providence UMC our readers are Carl Wayne Adams, Fred Rieger, and Brian Daniels; Brian has also been lighting the candle each week.

Christmas is intended to be a transforming event, not a lovely interlude in business as usual. What we do in Advent in preparation for Christmas will be our means of getting ready for a new way of looking at life -- a new way of living.

The Prophet Malachi speaks of a messenger:


. . one who will prepare the way of the Lord


. . . one who reminds us of the covenant of God


. . . . one who refines and purifies us in faithfulness


How then do we prepare to be transformed by the coming of the Lord?


. . by allowing the light of hope to awaken our spirits?


. . . by making room for the Lord to write the covenant on our hearts?


. . . . by living in gratitude for what we receive in the Lord?


If we prepare ourselves by renewing our covenant with God, then we will be truly transformed as Christ comes again into our lives.
      
 

Joy is at the heart of the journey through Advent to Christmas: Joy in the knowledge of what God has done throughout the ages, joy in the realization that God is able and that God does change things for the better, joy in the assurance that God can enter into our lives no matter what our situation may be. The Apostle Paul calls us a life of rejoicing:

. . to live a life full of rejoicing and gentleness


. . . to put aside worry in the confidence that the Lord is near


. . . . to lift our requests in prayer, with thanksgiving


. . . . . to trust that the Peace of God will guard our hearts and minds.


Let us then consider the condition of joy in our lives.


. . Do worries sometimes seem larger than our confidence that God is near?


. . . Does the busy-ness of our lives sometime interfere in our life of prayer?


. . . . Does anxiety over the big things of the world ruin the little joys of life?


Advent is a time when we can clean out the inner stables of our lives so that new life can be born, our spirits may be refreshed, and our lives may be renewed in the joy of salvation.

The First Sunday of Advent and the Hanging of the Greens

The first Sunday of Advent, November 29th, we had our Hanging of the Greens service at St. Andrews  UMC. The individuals in the picture above were our readers for the various parts, some did double duty. The readers and their subjects were Emma Jean Johnson: "The Meaning of the Service", Ashley Keith: "The Christmas Poinsettia", Rachel Nuckols: "Lessons of Christmas" and "Christmas Caroling", Anita Adams: "The Paraments and Advent Colors", Nancy Waller: "The Christmas Tree", Lisa Nuckols: "The Gifts of Christmas", Stacy Wyatt: "The Advent Wreath", Dan Nuckols: "Christmas in America" and "The Christ of Christmas", and not pictured ( she did such a great job I forgot to take the picture) Judy Edwards: "The Sanctuary Evergreens". Below are the Wyatts; Bill, Stacy, and Brandon, who did the reading for the lighting of the Advent Wreath candle for the first Sunday of Advent.

Advent is a special time, it is a time that, in the midst of all hustle and rush of the season, tells us to wait. It is a time of expectancy. A time to slow down and prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. But, its also about celebrating the birth of the one that was crucified, died, and rose again. If it wasn't for those events we wouldn't be celebrating Christmas at all. So, take some time during Advent to focus on what the season is supposed to be all about. Do whatever it takes; listen to Christmas music, watch Christmas programming on the television, go to a couple of Christmas cantatas (it doesn't even have to be at your church), try out a Christmas Eve Candlelight service, read the Nativity account in the Gospels on Christmas morning; you get the idea. Just don't let it be another day that you'll be glad when its over.