Delightful Advent Festival!

What a wonderful Advent Festival we had on December 6!  Participants crafted beautiful Christmas decorations using a collection of art supplies brought by Tara Barrett.  Candles dressed up as snowmen, hurricane candle centerpieces and glittery trees sitting on pedestal candle holders were just a few creations from the event.  Children designed rhinestone-studded ornaments, papers stars, paper chains and birch ornaments.  People wrote Christmas cards for our shut-ins and people made family-friendly Advent wreaths from felt.  The Jesus Squad baked all afternoon so we could decorate cookies.  We crafted and laughed together.

Following the crafts, we gathered in the Sanctuary to watch our children perform our Christmas pageant.  From the narrators and instrumentalists to the littlest manger animals (was there a bunny in this manger?), our children used their talents to draw us into the Christmas message.  We sang familiar carols with a renewed vigor.  All of our Sunday School children joyously performed Go Tell It on the Mountain to close the Pageant.

The evening concluded with a savory potluck supper.  Close to 130 people attended at least one part of the Advent Festival.

The true success of the Advent Festival lies in the collaboration of dozens of people who dedicate their efforts for weeks prior to this event.  Seeing their efforts coalesce into a warm, loving, intergenerational, welcoming event is amazing.  My gratitude goes to the following who contributed to this event: The members of the Christian Education Committee, the people who lugged, set up and took down the risers, volunteers who helped dress the children in costumes, the craft volunteers, the Jesus Squad, the members of the Confirmation class, the people who brought electricity to our glue guns and microphones, all the kitchen crew who set up the food, kept it warm and cleaned up following a wonderful meal, the children who participated in the pageant, their parents for helping them practice their song, the instrumentalists, and the people who shared food for the potluck. A special thank you to Kathy Lee for writing the Pageant and to Tara Barrett, our premier crafter.