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