This last Sunday our youth choir, under the excellent direction of our Children’s Minister Pastor Jill presented Geron Davis’ Christmas musical The Cradle that Rocked the World (from Brentwood Benson publishers). It was an incredible service and I had the privilege of preaching the message as part of the presentation. (That’s why it’s so short — I hardly ever am this timely.)
In keeping with the musical, the theme was “This baby changes everything.” And it is basically a retelling of the story of Simeon in Luke 2 . (I had originally hoped to include the story of Anna, but time did not permit.)
Below’s my first attempt with Vimeo video. Obviously I did not have the right deinterlace setting on in Handbrake when I converted it from our service DVD. Oh well, live and learn, right?
A few months back, someone from our church sent the staff a link to a video of part of a service from Hillside Christian Church in Amarillo, TX. In it several church members came up and silently shared their testimonies written in magic marker on pieces of cardboard. If you haven’t seen this incredibly moving video, you can see it here.
Needless to say we (and judging from the number of similar videos on youtube countless other churches) thought it was a great idea. We incorporated it into this weekends Christmas Program Jesus…the Only Name That Saves. Here’s the video:
BTW, if you watch very closely, at 0:22 you can see my five year old sleeping in the front row of the choir as the first cardboard testimony (George: “I was on a road to nowhere . . . then God took me on a Journey through Jerusalem”) turns to walk away.
But as moving as it was to watch the video from HCC, I’ve got to admit, knowing the people on the platform, and the stories behind their words, makes it even more moving. I still can’t watch it without crying like a baby. . .especially when one of my best friends, Jalinda, whose fiancee Jeremy, an ambulance driver, died just months before their wedding while responding to an EMS call, testified to the fact that in the midst of grief and hardship God gave her love and grace. It was especially moving given that it was just a few days after the three year anniversary of Jeremy’s last call.
Or George, one of my teen small group leaders, who testified to the fact that God got a hold of his heart when he was invited to volunteer in our Journey through Jerusalem event a few years back.
Or Pat . . .
Or Sarah . . .
Or Brianna . . .
I wish I had time to tell you each of their stories. But suffice it to say, we serve a great God.
I’ve been giving my youth group a Christmas gift for about as long as I’ve been doing youth ministry. Honesty, I only vaguely remember what most of them were. I remember having to shop carefully to find something that I could afford to give each of my teens on a youth pastor’s salary. And I remember some pretty cheesy gifts that I hoped would have some meaning. I remember candy canes one year (complete with a card explaining the “significance” of candy canes for them to ignore). I remember apple Christmas tree ornaments, and an explanation of the origins of the Christmas tree tradition. And I remember some bookmarks, though when it comes to what they said, I’ve no clue.
And while I have only vague recollections, I secretly suspect that I’m the only one with any memories at all. My teens have long forgotten the gifts I so carefully selected.
