O Come All Ye Faithful

I love hearing and singing the wonderful advent and Christmas hymns. One of my favorite holiday traditions growing up was going caroling at retirement homes and around neighborhoods, ending up sipping hot cocoa or cider and snacking on Christmas cookies at someone's home. Even after college, my bible study always went caroling in a neighborhood in Berkeley. I know all of the verses of the traditional hymns and songs from singing them year after year. 

Today in church we sang "O come, O come Emmanuel." The overt longing of the people of Israel for their savior is dynamically expressed in the melody and words of that hymn. I think it best evokes the spirit of advent. 

The words that resonated the most for me today however,  were "O Come All Ye Faithful." I was moved to tears as I looked around the sanctuary and saw the congregation. So many of these people I have known for years. They faithfully show up week after week, year after year. I know some of their stories of pain and suffering and loss and healing and joy. One friend had suddenly lost his father a few days before. I glimpsed the tears is his eyes and the sadness written across his face.  He was sitting next to long time friends whose very presence was a visible comfort in his grief. 

I am always moved during communion as I watch people que up to receive the elements. I think about how they have made the choice to believe in Jesus and His Church and this congregation.  Not because Jesus had made their lives easy and pleasant, very possibly the opposite of that. Sometime, in some way, the Holy Spirit moved in them and they responded with a "Yes" back. They chose to accept God's offer to be part of his family, to become the church. All of us who have responded yes to God's invitation are grafted into His family, are related to one another in spirit. 

I think my tears today were an expression of the Spirit of God both delighting to be in the presence of the family of God and also aching from the pain and sorrow in people's lives. I have experienced the love and care of so many people in the congregation over the years in good times and hard times. I have seen people selflessly show up and care for their brothers and sisters in times of need.  I have been witness to countless acts of generosity and faithful service. So the words of the hymn, "O Come All Ye Faithful " seemed so wonderfully appropriate. My heart is filled with gratitude that I am part of this congregation. Sometimes absence does make the heart grow fonder. When I have been away from church for a period of time due to traveling, my spirit seems to rejoice at returning "home". I know that no church or congregation is perfect, but First Pres is truly blessed with amazing people who love God and those God has put in their lives.