the hearth and set the table. People look east, and sing today—Love, the Guest, is on the way (“People, Look East,” Evangelical Lutheran Worship, 248).
Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us; let us fi nd our rest in thee (“Come, T ou Long-Expected Jesus,” ELW, 254).
Rejoice, then, you sad-hearted, who sit in deepest gloom, who mourn your joys departed and tremble at your doom. All hail the Lord’s appearing! O glorious Sun, now come, send forth your beams so cheering and guide us safely home (“O Lord, How Shall I Meet You,” ELW, 241).
Advent hymns such as these keep us focused. T ese
and other traditions—in the church and in our homes— are stepping-stones that carry us through the season. T ey allow us to celebrate the darkness, lending us courage and joy in our longing. Advent isn’t dour. Each festivity points from itself to
the mystery ahead. Congregational life should be the “fi rst responder”
to our basic human need for time out, time taken, time returned to us loaded with grace and joy and apprecia- tion of simple things glorifi ed. Parishes can bring members through this collective
celebration of darkness-before-dawn, to the dawning of Emmanuel, God-with-us, to a great manifestation in the feast of Epiphany. Save children’s pageants, choir concerts and staff
parties for the 12 days of Christmas. Instead, consider how you might celebrate, or help families celebrate, St. Nicholas Day or St. Lucia, for instance. Our country is a fi ne ethnic salad full of customs that could add richness to our December.
The ‘real’ St. Nick Eastern and Northern Europeans celebrate St. Nicholas of Myra on Dec. 6. He is the true Santa Claus whose bishop’s miter has
been replaced with a clown’s cap and his shining vest- ments with a snowsuit. Apparently, a chubby elf sells better than a dignifi ed bishop/father fi gure. Angels have been replaced with more elves, and since we can’t touch heaven, we have housed him at the North Pole. He is used as both a threat and a promise to get children to behave.
22 December 2014 21
Vanessa (last name withheld), 10, was chosen to play the Virgin of Gua- dalupe when the children of Trinity of Manhattan [N.Y.] Lutheran Church acted out the story last December.
Mary & mariachi music Virgin of Guadalupe, Dec. 12
W
hen Trinity of Manhattan [N.Y.] Lutheran Church started celebrating the Virgin of Guadalupe, it was both early in the day and at a Spanish-speaking
worship service nearest that day (Dec. 12). Several years ago, Spanish-speaking worshipers decided to move their Guadalupe service to a morning bilin- gual worship to share the tradition with Anglos and African- Americans, who also make up Trinity’s congregation. The day commemorates the vision and miracle when
a girl appeared to peasant Juan Diego on a hill outside of Mexico City with instructions to build a temple on the site. When he delivered the message to the local bishop, roses not native to the area fell from Diego’s cloak and an image of the Virgin Mary was impressed on the simple garment. The fi rst part of
Trinity’s celebration, Las Mananitas, occurs at 6 a.m. on Dec. 12. Worshipers leave roses at the altar. They sing songs to Mary, enjoy Mexican sweetbread and a rice drink, and go on to work or school.
ñ The full worship
service with fl owers and lighting candles often falls on the third Sunday of Advent, said Heidi Neu-
mark, pastor—perfect for the Isaiah 35 reading regarding fl owers blooming in the desert. Because mariachi bands are in great demand (and of great expense) on that day, mem- bers put together their own group for “lots of music, food and dancing,” she said. Last year the children acted out the Virgin of Guadalupe story. “The ‘ignorant’ peasant layman was given a word to evangelize the church … like the shepherds of the Christ- mas story who the angels entrusted with the message of Jesus’ birth,” Neumark said in her explanation of why Lutherans can, and do, celebrate this day. “The Guadalupe is a biblical message. As such it belongs to all Christians.”
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