1998 CBC Family Camp
“Practicing Our Faith in Families”
Sat. Evening, 6:30-7:30
Celebrating Christmas in Pennsylvania
The season begins with a chilly crispness in the air. The leaves have dropped from the trees. The grass has seen its first frost—it’s more brown than green now ready for hibernation along with all the other green growing things for the cold winter months. At night and in the early morning, you can also smell the cozy fragrance of fireplaces warming homes around the neighborhood.
Against this approaching season of snow, dark skies, and cold temperatures, I set out to bring light and anticipation of things to come. First, I string twinkling white lights on our outside bushes. Next, I place a white candle on each window of our house. Brass bells with a bright red bow adorn our front door so that whenever it is opened, we are reminded of Santa Claus.
When the kids were young, we would travel to one of the many Christmas tree farms to pick out a tree, cut it down with a bow saw, and tie it on the roof of our car to drive it home. Later, it became more of a tradition that Lauren and I would be the designated ones to fetch a tree. It was my job to anchor the tree straight on the tree stand and to string the multicolored lights around the douglas fir. Then it was time for everyone to hang the ornaments. Every year we would add new ornaments to mark the date. The new ornaments usually reflect on who we are and what interests we may have. All the Star Trek ones belong to me. We have said that once Lauren and Greg establish their homes, then it would be time to collect their ornaments for their own family Christmas tree.
When Joy and I were married, my BYF youth advisor, Millie Brooks who also worked with Joy at the Massachusetts Baptist state office made us a green ceramic Christmas tree that has a light inside. It was always Lauren’s job to put the little plastic lights into the holes.
Although we performed many Christmas practices together as a family, we always celebrated Christmas with friends at the church. For the past 11 years, our family would go over to our pastor’s home on Christmas eve after the church service. After snacks and quizzing the kids about what Santa might be bringing them in the morning, it was time for what we have been waiting for. Gathering in the living room, Joy at the piano, we would group the sopranos over there, the altos next to them, the tenors over here, and the basses nearby. I made sure I stood next to a bass who can read music. It didn’t matter though, I would sing the melody only in a lower voice anyway. With the thundering introduction, we would sing Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. Out of breath, gleaming with the satisfaction that it is not the quality but the sincerity that counts, we wish Merry Christmas to special friends to enter the chilly December night.
Celebrating Christmas in Pennsylvania has taken on rich and memorable images imprinted on our hearts. They have given shape to our understanding of the meaning of Jesus Christ as our Savior in the world.
Family or Small Groups.
Gather together in family units or if you came by yourself, join with a family group or find others who also came on their own.
Your task is to identify and share with each other a practice you do as a family. Share why you chose this practice. What meaning does it have for you, for your family?
Where you are, in a popcorn fashion, share what family practice you thought of.
Christian Practices.
Living today and particularly trying to raise healthy families are probably more challenging then before. To find deeper meaning for living depends on our ability to order our lives well. Our commitment to walk aright in each new time and place is one that unites us all.
This weekend, we will be exploring how we practice our faith in our families. To do this, we will be looking at 4 practices. Two of them will be introduced during my sharing at chapel. Two of them will be during the program sessions where you will have more opportunities to interact with each other.
On Sunday, we will look at Discernment and Household Economics
On Monday, it will be Keeping the Sabbath and Singing Our Lives
So, what is a Christian Practice?
According to Dorothy Bass, “Christian practices are things Christian people do together over time in response to and in light of God’s active presence for the life of the world.” We can say that “Christian family practices are things Christian families do together over time in response to and in light of God’s active presence for the life of the world.”
Some characteristics are:
- Practices address fundamental human needs and conditions through concrete human acts.
- Practices are done together over time.
- Practices possess standards of excellence.
- Christian practices are ways we see how our daily lives are tangled up with the things God is doing in the world.
Connect our family Christmas practices with these characteristics.
Close with prayer.