Tuesday Tidings Nov 29, 2022
Dearest Members of Bethlehem,
“Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for
you to wake from sleep.” -Romans 13:11-14
We stick around after church, there is muted conversation about what
awaits us. Plans are hatched, important materials distributed.
Within fifteen to twenty minutes, the smell of pizza migrates from the
fellowship hall to our nostrils, it’s time for lunch. We do not linger over
our repast, there is an urgency and a sense of anticipation. We will
need the fortification, because this is the day.
This is the day we load our young people into cars and minivans and
drive around the neighborhood. Our pilgrimage has a purpose, we are
to sing Christmas carols to our siblings in Christ.
It’s usually cold… not bitterly so, but just enough to give us pause.
We search for gloves and mittens, some will wear scarves. There are
still others with Santa hats. Every bit of it; the jostling, the repeated
requests for, “Good King Wenceslas,” the festive clothing, and the
expansive smiles plastered on our faces all contribute to the
atmosphere. How can something this simple be so much fun? It’s not a rhetorical
question. Here’s why, we are on the move. We are taking our message of good
cheer, the news of Christ’s incarnation out from the church into the
community.
Second, we know the story. The words of these carols are lod