First Church Family:
I pray that you are experiencing a blessed Advent. One of the things I look most forward to during this season is holiday music. And on Sunday, December 11, our Chancel Choir will present its 2022 Christmas offering: Festival of Christmas. Please be there for that presentation, and invite friends and family to join you.
One of the Advent traditions of members of our local Latino community is the experience of Las Posadas. That term is Spanish for “The Inns” and is a religious festival celebrated between December 16 and 24.
Las Posadas commemorates the journey that Joseph and Mary made from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of a safe refuge where Mary could give birth to the baby Jesus.
In Latino families during Las Posadas, “Canto para pedir posada,” (meaning a song to plead for lodging) is sung around the closed door of a home. One group takes the part of Mary and Joseph and calls from the outside, asking for lodging. Its call is met with suspicion from those on the inside, who respond that “there is no room in the inn.”
During this season, many “outsiders” in our community and world will be walking the same road trod by Mary and Joseph. I pray that we will be listening for their calls of posada, and respond in anyway we can. In opening our hearts to them, we welcome Christ.
May you experience God’s powerful presence during this meaningful season of Advent.
Dave Melton
Senior Pastor