Immanuel Lutheran church in Potsdam is quite small compared to most churches. At full capacity, the main sanctuary area would seat around 125 people. You could cram another dozen in the balcony if they didn’t mind being cozy.
Sunday mornings involved the church service at 9:30, with Sunday school immediately following. While the kids were in Sunday school, the parents were in the basement having coffee and cookies. The men would solve world problems while the ladies chatted about kids, sewing projects, gardens, and calf chores. Remember, I said it was a country church.
Some of the strongest and most precious memories I have of my childhood church are of Christmas Eve. Starting six weeks before Christmas Eve, Sunday school lessons were suspended and replaced with pageant practice.
We did the full Nativity story complete with costumes. Because ours was a little country church, our Christmas Eve service was at 8:30 at night...after night milking.
I remember that my mom--the most creative person I know--made crowns for the three kings and a pair of 4-foot angel wings out of chicken wire, paper mache, and gold spray paint.
The kings wore fancy robes, the shepherds wore plain robes, and Mary wore a dress and head scarf thing with a really uncomfortable wire headband to keep it in place. Baby Jesus was someone’s baby doll wrapped in a flannel baby blanket. The angels (preschool and kindergarten kids) wore white gowns with gold garland halos.
I remember that my mom--the most creative person I know--made crowns for the three kings and a pair of 4-foot angel wings out of chicken wire, paper mache, and gold spray paint.
The kings wore fancy robes, the shepherds wore plain robes, and Mary wore a dress and head scarf thing with a really uncomfortable wire headband to keep it in place. Baby Jesus was someone’s baby doll wrapped in a flannel baby blanket. The angels (preschool and kindergarten kids) wore white gowns with gold garland halos.
The most sought-after parts in the pageant were Mary and Joseph. Big Brother had the part of Joseph at least a couple of years. How appropriate as his name IS Joseph! That was an easy part because Joseph had no speaking to do. He just had to stand there and look dazzled by his fiancee.
Mary didn't speak either, at least that I remember. People spoke to her.
Or, more accurately, an angel spoke to her. Gabriel told her,
To this day, when we watch Charlie Brown's Christmas and Linus recites the angel’s message to the shepherds, I can say it right along with him.
Mary didn't speak either, at least that I remember. People spoke to her.
Or, more accurately, an angel spoke to her. Gabriel told her,
Fear not, Mary: for thou hast
found favour with God. And, behold, thou
shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name
Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be
called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne
of his father David: And he shall reign
over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
When Mom was in charge of the pageant, everybody who had a speaking part had to memorize their part and be able to say it loud enough to project to that balcony. And folks, we went by the King James version of this story with all those thees, thines, and thous in it. To this day, when we watch Charlie Brown's Christmas and Linus recites the angel’s message to the shepherds, I can say it right along with him.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you: You will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. And suddenly with the angel there was a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men.”
And in my little country church, there was singing. All those wonderful old Christmas hymns: Silent Night, Joy to the World, We Three Kings, O Come O Come Emmanuel, Away In A Manger, Little Town of Bethlehem, and Angels We Have Heard On High. Again, the children’s choir had to memorize and project.
After the pageant was over, each kid got a box of animal crackers and a box of Christmas candy.
Taking part in the pageant on Christmas Eve made it all seem so real, yet magical, to me as a child. My kids always had theirs at 2:00 on a Sunday afternoon a week or two before Christmas. The message was the same, but not the feeling of it.
I wonder if those costumes are still in use at Emmanuel or not. Probably not; they would be 40 years old by now. I wonder if they still do the Nativity pageant on Christmas Eve. Probably; some traditions are meant to continue. But all those memories that I tucked away as a child to be cherished as an adult are still strong and vibrant.
I wonder if those costumes are still in use at Emmanuel or not. Probably not; they would be 40 years old by now. I wonder if they still do the Nativity pageant on Christmas Eve. Probably; some traditions are meant to continue. But all those memories that I tucked away as a child to be cherished as an adult are still strong and vibrant.
I hope that you have brilliant and treasured memories of your childhood Christmases that come to mind this time of year.
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