4th Sunday of Advent

Becky and Ally practiced with our church Family choir for a few weeks. They sang the song “All Night, All Day” in front of the congregation on Sunday. My middle school class lit the advent candle and the whole church participated in the “Un-Pageant” that is we arrived in the sanctuary to find various costume pieces spread out thru the pews. Crowns and robes, angel halos and wings, and sheep ears. Ally selected wings, I wore a crown and Becky donned sheep ears.

That is the choir practicing.

The program started with a reading from Isaiah 11:1-2 & 6-9. Then we sang My Heart Sings Out With Joyful Praise. Then Matthew 1:18-25 is read.

Then we sang The Cherry Tree Carol, and while singing Mary and Joseph walked up to the creche.

Luke 2:1-7 was read next. Followed by singing Away in the Manger. During the song the baby Jesus was brought to the creche. At our church the baby was accompanied by her two moms who carried the Star of David. They say in front of the cradle so if the baby was startled her parents were right there.

Then Luke 2:8-14 was read. We sand Hark the Herald Angels Sing next and the congregants dressed as Angels approached. Ally was right there – at the base of the cradle right next to the baby for the remainder of the program. She sang along to songs she knew and joined in on the chorus to others.

There she is – it was really neat.

But the program continued with  a reading of Luke 2:15-20 and we sand The First Noel and the sheep and shepherds approached the creche.

Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11 was read next, and while we sang We Three Kings of Orient Are the kings (like me) and Magi walked up to join the others at the creche.

We sang O Little Town of Bethlehem next and the remaining congregants joined us at the front of the church ( as townspeople). With everyone now joined / gathered around the baby. We sand Joy to the World.

It was an amazing service. It was the first time we had attended our church for this service and Becky and I both found it much more uplifting than a traditional pageant. It was so moving to all be together gathered around the baby sing the songs about the birth of Christ.