Webster Word

Deacons Report on Christmas Season 2006

By the time you are reading this, the Advent Season will already be underway. This year, we have decided to honor Webster Church’s more tenured members by asking several of them to light the Advent candles this year. We hope that this will contribute to a meaningful Christmas Season for our congregation.

The Hanging of the Greens service, in which we decorate the church during the Sunday service, will be on December 10 th. In preparation for this service, we will have our annual potluck and preparation of the greens in the Social Hall starting at 6:00 p.m on Friday, December 8 th. All are encouraged to attend. Like last year, the children will have the opportunity to make Christmas ornaments, while the older members of the congregation prepare the decorations. If you are able to donate fresh greens (e.g., pine, boxwood, magnolia, holly) for the decorations, please contact Casey Anno or Susan Cohen. Also, please plan to bring a dish to share for the potluck and heavy scissors or pruners (if you have them).

Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year, and we wanted to make sure our congregation is aware that there will be some changes so that you may plan ahead.

• The 11:00 a.m. service will be an informal service that will be children-focused. The children will perform their Christmas Pageant for the congregation and their families during the 11:00 a.m. service. Following the service, Christian Ed. will have a Birthday Party for Jesus in the Social Hall. Everyone is invited to this Party, as we show the youngest members of our congregation that it is important to celebrate the reason for the season – the birth of Jesus Christ.
• The evening service will start earlier this year: at 4:30 p.m., we will enjoy a Christmas concert. The Christmas Eve service – complete with the traditional lessons and carols and service of lights – will commence at approximately 5:00 p.m. The break in the traditional starting time of 7:00 p.m. was carefully considered. Other churches have seen a positive response to an earlier Christmas Eve service. The earlier service allows folks to attend Christmas Eve dinners and parties after the service and enable families to start their Christmas Eve rituals with their children earlier. Finally, we are very pleased that our Christmas Eve service will be enhanced with a concert presented by our organist, Director of Music, and Choir. Please invite your families and friends to the concert and Christmas Eve service .