A Very Wise Men Christmas
There's a reason Christmas lasts for 12 days.
Dear Friends,
Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
As I write you, my apartment is still piled with Christmas presents to be sent to my family in Florida, awaiting others that I haven’t had a chance to buy because they mean a quick, but risky trip into a local small business, and holding tight for shipments of other presents to be mailed out. I sent cards a few days ago to a few friends and am still working on others. And so, when I talk to people, I tell them that I’m working on the Wise Men’s schedule this year. They were “late” to Jesus’s birth, but rather than make this a puzzle or problem, as a tradition we stretch out the season to enfold them and their arrival.
I imagine, of course, that many of you are in the same boat in this regard. My friends have resigned themselves to “sometime in the new year” cards. We have no control over the lagging post office. Everything is on a different calendar than the one we know from years past, but maybe that’s for the best. It’s certainly helped me remain present for the fullness of this Christmas season.
There are other things that are helping me be present, of course. Illustrated Ministry has returned with their wonderful free resources, running from Christmas til Lent. They’ve also sent out this great Epiphany Star that you can color (or print out in color) for a little celebratory star parade.
Our Christmas tree is still up - a charming, wood craft piece that belonged to my wife’s family, though I confess that our Nativity set never came out of the box since the Baby Jesus is generally threatened by my cats. Kate Bowler has been sharing practices and hymns to mark each day of the Christmas season on her Instagram account. And I finally watched the Service of Lessons & Carols put together by Weird Anglican Twitter the other day. With everyone worshipping online, there are so many ways to be present in this time together.
As for the coming days, as we journey with the Wise Men towards Epiphany, this seems like a good year to learn to chalk your door if you’ve never done so before. Let’s be real - our homes could use all the blessings they could get these days. (I confess, it’s unlikely that I’m going to go search for some chalk before 12th Night, so I’ll probably put our blessing on a paper above the door.)
Finally, Traci Smith’s Faithful Families for Advent and Christmas has continued to be an inspiration as we walk through this season. Or sit at home through it. I wonder, then, what your family is doing to mark the fullness of this Christmas season?
As for 2021? Well, as we all continue to worship at home for the next many months, we will need to stay creative and connected. But the good news is that this time we will be doing so with some kind of end in sight. It still amazes me that the week before my church closed down, we had 50+ people in the church yard setting up a garden and building a greenhouse. We were committed to growing something new. And we still are. Like the Wise Men following the Wild Star, the mysterious light that went where it wished, we simply followed a new and strange path.
I started this project early in the pandemic, as I sat with how people of all ages could continue to grow in faith together. And I am so grateful for all of you who have joined me here. Others have repeatedly ask what we will take with us from 2020, and what we will leave behind, and this here - this will remain.
In Faith & Uncertainty - Just Like The Wise Men,
Bird