My brother-in-law crafted the ceramic nativity scene years ago. The rose and angels were gifts and my dad gave the Bible with a cover made of wood from the Holy Land to his Sunday school teacher in the 1920s. She returned it to the family at his death.
Last week in my Thanksgiving column, I tried to list some of the many blessings in my life. I realize that whenever we start to count our own blessings, our list continues to grow. I could add many more to this column. But I want to point out one specifically - churches.
I hold dear the two churches most influential in my life - the one I grew up in and the one that welcomed us warmly when we moved to Jesup.
However, as a young woman majoring in religion at college years ago, I was enamored with the ecumenical movement as it was promoted in the 20th century. Why couldn’t all Christians come together in unity? As I’ve grown older, and hopefully, wiser, I recognize the value for individuals to worship within a church whose theology beckons them. I appreciate all who find sanctuary within any denomination. I only take issue with those who do not extend the same courtesy to me. I’m grateful each time churches in Wayne County come together to observe special events.
Whenever we travel across country along the back roads, I marvel at the number of churches we pass. We have often found the parking lot of a small church an advantageous place to stop. On occasion, when we couldn’t find a park, we’ve picnicked within our vehicle in the church parking lot. Fitting, isn’t it - dinner on the grounds? If we ever pass that way again, we always talk about the time that church welcomed us without ever knowing we had stopped.
On occasion as we travel, we will stop at a random church, any denomination, somewhere to attend a Sunday service. I especially remember on one of our annual outings to the tree lighting program at Vogel State Park, we stopped at the first church we passed the next morning. The congregation at Loudsville United Methodist Church welcomed us warmly and the choir’s cantata program retold the familiar Christmas story in music. I especially was touched by the many young people singing in the choir, serving as ushers and greeters.
I also recall stopping mid-morning on a weekday at one church in a small town. We needed to get out of the vehicle and move. I walked back and forth along the sidewalk in front of the sanctuary. My husband opted to walk the sidewalk that encircled the complex. When he returned to our small motorhome, he was smiling.
Although he never stepped beyond the sidewalk, the pastor had seen him and came out to greet him. Bob explained his purpose. The pastor offered him use of the facilities or a glass water. Bob thanked him but declined both. Of course, we knew that the minister could have thought Bob was casing his beautiful church. However, if that were true, he probably would have called the police station just around the corner and asked for an officer to check us out. That close knit connection between entities within a community is another advantage of small town living. I really think he spied a weary traveler just needing to stretch his legs and extended a helping hand.
Since we rarely drive into or through large cities, we seldom see America’s large or mega churches. But, we know they are there.
With each church we pass, I give thanks for churches in general and for that specific church and its members in their mission.
When we travel in December, we pass a number of churches with Nativity scenes in the yards and Christmas messages on their signs. But I have long wondered what if every church in America displayed a Nativity scene on its property during Advent through Christmas into the New Year. Just visualize the message of Christmas repeated mile after mile. There would be no need for words on any sign.
Some of these scenes illuminate a commercially made creche. Others are very rustic, handmade, perhaps the most authentic. Still others are merely the setting for a live nativity performance scheduled later in the Season. But most churches do not display any more than perhaps a wreath for Christmas.
I appreciate the fact that in this day and age, such scenes are easy victims to vandalism. But perhaps this is the time when we need the Christian message on view the most. Of course, the task of spreading the message falls on each Christian, not just on each church at large.
However, every time, someone takes up the cause to put the familiar Christmas scene on public property, I cringe. Too many want separation of church and state to mean that government stays out of church business, but churches should be able to impose their demands on everyone else. How Christian is that?
Instead of trying to fight the battle against separation of church and state, I recommend that the nativity scene be duplicated in every church yard. Even those, who never travel more than a few miles from home, would witness a remarkable message to take to heart.
2017
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