Two months out
Transfigured jazz T
and Anne Christ—pronounced with a short “i”) for a Sweetheart Dinner.
Mardi Gras, love celebrated each February
his year Ash Wednesday arrives Feb. 13—plenty early. But at churches like Christ the King Lutheran in West Chester, Ohio, members will do their best to celebrate Mardi Gras prior to the somberness of Lent. They’ll have their annual “Fat Saturday” Dixie- land Jazz worship service followed by a Cajun meal—it’s what they’ve done every Transfiguration weekend for years.
BILL LIGHTFOOT
The Jambalaya Jazz Band leads worship at Christ the King Lutheran Church, West Chester, Ohio, every year on Transfiguration weekend.
“Kids love it, people look forward to it and invite their friends,” said Betsy Wil- liams, pastor. “People from the community come every year and it’s a highlight for us. There aren’t many sacred cows here, but this is one of those pieces of tradi- tion that no one questions.” The tradition dates back to the 1977 Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in north- ern Kentucky. A member’s father, a jazz musician and music professor at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, was one of 165
people who perished—the third deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. The Dixieland Mass used by Christ the King was commissioned in Paul Smith’s memory. Drew Cremisio, who has longtime connections to the congregation, wrote and adapted tunes for it. He also leads the Jambalaya Jazz Band that considers Christ the King its “home base” because of that service, but plays gigs in the area throughout the year. Williams said the service turned a tragic event and sad memory for the congregation into an ongoing testimonial of hope and resurrection. It also opens up new preaching possibilities each year. Preaching about the Transfiguration (Feb. 10 in 2013) isn’t among Williams’ favorite tasks, “but if you put it in the context of Dixieland then it becomes another opportunity to preach about the resurrection—going through the fire to the resurrection, or down the mountain to whatever lies in the valley before us. It opens up preaching to have this context around it.” For more information, contact Williams at pastorbetsy@cinci.
rr.com. And in Montana …
About that same time in February, Messiah Lutheran Church in Red Lodge, Mont., will do a different sort of celebrating. For three years, members have gathered in a banquet room at Bridge Creek Backcountry Kitchen and Wine Bar (owned by Lutherans Peter
Does your congregation do a specific ministry in April, May, June? Send details (or your best timeless idea) to
julie.sevig@
thelutheran.org. 40 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
“The entire congregation is invited and we have both couples and singles celebrating love and fellowship,” said Ann Christ, Peter’s mother and a member of Messiah. Couples celebrating special anniversaries during the year are honored—a number of them cel- ebrating 50 or 60 years of marriage. Last year “Homebrewed Harmony” sang love songs. Couples also share stories of how they met and courted. One of Christ’s favorites was the couple celebrating 60 years together— they had met on a train in the East when he was going off to World War II. “We laughed when she shared about sitting on his lap on the train. This surprised us because we know them as a couple that is quiet and reserved,” Christ said.
Good one!
S.O.S. Twice a year, Mount Tabor Lutheran Church in West Columbia, S.C., hosts a two-hour “S.O.S” (Sharing our Stuff) event. It looks like a yard sale, but there’s no money involved. Everything is free. The Girl Scouts also provide bag lunches (for free) to those who come to the event held each spring and fall. When the 9-11 a.m. S.O.S. is over,
what’s left is given to a local thrift store whose proceeds help people who are getting back on their feet as they over- come addictions. For more information, contact Celie Addy at
celie@scsynod.com.
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