Since Sunday, December 25 was Christmas Day, there was no church that day and our Christmas service was held the day before on Christmas Eve. After the austerity of the Advent Season, when no flowers are allowed, the altar was bursting with red and white poinsettias given by church members in memory of loved ones, as well as red and white altar flowers, and the nave was decorated with greenery and red ribbons. The Christ candle was lit on the Advent Wreath, and altar colors are white and gold.
In the absence of Bishop Hartley, who was ill, there was no communion and instead we held the Evening Prayer service conducted by Lay Leader, Joe Criswell and Tom Berthold, and sang several Christmas carols. A highlight of the evening was Kip Smith’s performance of “Silent Night” on the organ chimes.
Tom Berthold read a sermon prepared by Bishop Hartley on the Christmas doctorine of the Incarnation, or the coming of God in human form in the birth of Jesus, thus fulfilling all of God’s promises made in the Old Testament, and the significance of this event lies in its importance to us and to the whole world.
We will next week resume our regular schedule of services Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. Our website is stfrancisavamo.org.
