It was worth the grey hairs and sleepless nights. Good for you, Pinga and congrats to all who were involved.

Wow Pinga!  What a journey you've been on.  I just found this thread this afternoon.  I admire how much thought and energy you've put into this, and used it as a learning and teaching experience for all of us.  Well done friend!  Sounds like it went really well.

I'm glad to hear it went well - despite the headaches involved!

We had a dress rehearsal for our Christmas Pagent this morning after church - so I could relate to your story of your dress rehearsal yesterday. We had new kids showing up, kids who did not want to be involved and Mary and Joseph were nowhere to be found. Still - I have faith that it will go well next week! The script is excellent (and quite funny) and the actors with lines have done a great job learning them. As lead angel it will be my job to heard my angelic crew up the aisle, make sure they are properly seated at the front and then to read a part of the scripture. After it's all over, we'll have a cast party downstairs in the youth room.

Congratulations Pinga on a job well done.  It certainly brings back memories - oh, the years I spent in the background directing the children in their various roles.  looking back - I loved it.  Would I do it now?  Not on your life!   I'm a senior (I think I'll start pulling that excuse more often.)

We're understaffed at our church right now.  White Gift service in church consisted of having people drop a gift into a basket at the back as they entered the sanctuary and having the teens carry them forward to place under the tree during the lighting of the Advent candle.  Perhaps they did something in Sunday School.

A link to this thread showed up on my FB  this morning.  Maybe the UC really does need the WC after all?

http://www.ucobserver.org/features/2013/12/santa_sanctuary/

Exchanging comments in the Observer has really opened my eyes about the UCCan. You still have a lot of conservative Christians, and they're rather angry about people not believing correctly. I wonder if the comments on that article are going to go in the same direction.

Hi Chansen,

What is the most important thing in your Christmas? I can't imagine it's consumerism.

I am not sure why the Observer dug out this old thread, but the idea of replacing the shopping with something more meaningful and returning to the original legend of St. Nick could be a education worth being taking on by congregations.

I do doubt that it will happen though. It would be hitting a taboo.

I remebr my minister suggesting that in the 70s when I was a kid.

Besides the only myth that is believed about Sanata Clause is the one when parents belive that their Kids believe it in. As soon as I heard about Sanata,(age 4)  I called BS and my older brother confirmed to me that it was. 

I remebr my minister suggesting that in the 70s when I was a kid.

Besides the only myth that is believed about Sanata Clause is the one when parents belive that their Kids believe it in. As soon as I heard about Sanata,(age 4)  I called BS and my older brother confirmed to me that it was. ( he only wanted me to help look ahead of time for Santas hidden presents in my parents closets.)

It was nice of the wiiter to refernce WC, it might result in more attention and traffic.

I think that age 4 is a bit young, yet my son was questioning then.  I think I was six or seven when I put all the clues together (size of the world, flying raindeer, discovery of a Santa gift hidden in the woodshed, giggles of older children).  I really doubt if there are many kids over seven who still believe.  

My sister insisted that we be careful what we said around her children, because they (at 10 or 11) still believed.   That same year my nephew told me in strict confidence, "Of course I don't believe in Santa.  But I let Mom think I do.  I get more presents that way."

My theory - let the kids pretend - pretend if you wish - but don't take it seriously. 

Seeler - I did what your nephew did too. I figured it out when I was about 7 or 8, but I think I was 11 before I told my parents that I knew. It was fun to pretend!

That is best poster of the Santa/Jesus thing I've seen in a long time.  I'd like to copy it and put up in the church.  would be good in a sermon too. 

thanks

Agreed, Matt.

Reason: most of the stories re Jesus are so changed by adults......over the years.

Would be good to get back to the core story, yes?