Westminster Presbyterian: Finding the good in this year’s changes

Jill Fandrich Special to The Citizen

Today is the first Sunday of the new church year, which begins with the season of Advent, the time leading up to Christ’s birth. How different Advent was last year compared to now.

Last year at this time, we gathered for our traditional “Greening of the Church” festivities, hanging wreaths, putting up trees and setting out nativities, banners and candles, after which we went to a member’s home to celebrate with food and drink. During December worship, we carried the banners down the aisles, lit the candles on the Advent wreath, and sang carols. We held our annual Deacons Brunch, gathering in the Great Hall of the church to share food and fellowship. Our kids dressed in costume each Sunday, telling the Christmas story in a series of mini-pageants. We held special services for Longest Night and Christmas Eve. We sat closely together in the pews, shared food, sang hymns, shook hands, hugged and laughed, blissfully unaware that these would soon be things of the past.

A year later, the sanctuary sits empty on Sunday mornings while we worship together in front of our computer screens in our homes, connected through Facebook Live (and the Holy Spirit). The huge trees and church decorations will stay in their storage boxes. Instead, the pastor will light the candles on the Advent wreath each Sunday on livestreamed worship. We will put together a “virtual Christmas pageant,” using pictures and photos contributed by members and friends. Our Longest Night Service, which is needed more than ever this year, will be livestreamed from the sanctuary on Dec. 21, still proclaiming the “light which shines in the darkness,” but in a new way. We are distributing candles, Christmas hymnals, devotionals and small gifts to our members so they can worship from home. Rather than seeing hundreds of handheld candles flickering in a darkened sanctuary on Christmas Eve, we will light our candles at home, connected online as we celebrate Christ’s birth separately, and yet at the same time, together.