Christmas is such a hectic, yet gentle time...if we make space for the Spirit to enter!  We invite friends and family to gatherings each year, but have you ever considered inviting the Holy One specifically?  Whether you attend a Christmas Eve service or Mass, or have a simple meal at home with those you love, it can shift the holiday from being largely consumerist in nature to something much deeper.

Candlelight services at church are a lovely way to open your soul to the presence of the Spirit as you stand side by side singing carols and letting your candle light spark the flame of the neighbor standing next to you, and are reminded that we are all part of God's connected creation...regardless of skin color, nationality, sexual orientation, or denomination, we all belong to one another and to the Spirit that guides us all!

If you are not a "church person", then there are other ways to help your holiday be a bit more sacred and meaningful.  Turn down the lights at home, and sit quietly before your tree and envision a world where peace reigns, where love wins, and where all people have their needs met.  Say a quiet little prayer or mantra wishing all beings good health and joy.

Or you could make the holiday one about giving to those who have no way to offer you anything other than their gratitude.  Be a secret Santa to someone who will be alone on Christmas, bake goodies for the gas station attendants and fast food workers who will be on duty Christmas morning, or buy a pair of PJ's and a small gift for someone who is alone in a nursing home.  

There are many gentle ways to take the holiday from a "Black Friday" moment to a "Babe Born in a Manger" holy experience.

Our Christmas Eve worship service always ends with folks ringing the Sanctuary, lights extinguished, candles one-by-one bringing light into the darkness as we softly sing Silent Night.  Looking around the space, faces aglow with flickering flame, it is easy to see the tenderness with which God views us all.  

Here's hoping your Christmas was filled with something just a little bit more!  And next year, should you desire to share a sacred moment in community with others, we'd love to have you with us :-)

In Light and Love,
Rev. Cindy