No. 17 Preparing for Christmas

Facilitator______________
Date___________________

Group Session Plan from UUCCA* - Rev. Calvin O. Dame

Chalice/Candle Lighting

Opening Words:

THE WORK OF CHRISTMAS
When the song of angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among the brothers,
to make music in the heart.
Howard Thurman -- Singing the Living Tradition #615

Check-in/Sharing

Topic:
(use the following selection as a responsive reading)

The relatives have gone. The harvest season passed with Thanksgiving. Even as we bought our turkey, the Salvation Army bells jangled our nerves toward Christmas.

THE DECORATIONS OF CHRISTMAS ARE HUNG IN OUR TOWNS AND CITIES. WE HAVE LEFT-OVER TURKEY SOUP AND (?) MORE SHOPPING DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS.

This is the advent of peace and goodwill, songs to be sung, choirs to do their Messiahs. There will be Christmas Teas and office parties, Christmas Fairs, and hot rum toddies.

BY THIS WEEK WE SHOULD HAVE OUR CARDS IN THE MAIL. GREETINGS TO A HUNDRED FRIENDS ALL OVER THE WORLD, EACH WITH A LETTER TELLING ALL THAT WE DID FOR THE YEAR. LAST WEEK OUR PACKAGES SHOULD HAVE BEEN MAILED. WHEN IS THERE TIME TO GO SHOPPING?

Giving gifts takes more time than we have. Siting in the endless traffic, hustling and bustling through the stores, lining up in the Post Office behind the man with six packages all going overseas, all to be insured, all to be registered.

SOON WE’LL BE EATING AND DRINKING MORE THAN WE SHOULD. ANXIOUS, UNEASY, WE MAY MISS THE SPIRIT WE SEEK. WE PAUSE, CENTER DOWN, AND REFLECT ON THE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.

What shall we celebrate? A closeness with family and friends, a warmth in the chill of winter, a birth—what shall we celebrate?

THE YULE LOG, THE FEASTING, THE GIFTS, THE CARDS, THE TREES, AND THE WREATHS ALL POINT TO OUR FEELINGS OF CLOSENESS, DECLARE OUR NEED FOR A CARING COMMUNITY.

The winter is cold, the snow will lie on the ground, soon are the snowmen and skating, hot chocolate, skiing, and singing—all that this season is bringing.

THERE MUST BE SPACE FOR THE SINGING OF ANGELS, BRIGHT LIGHT OF BEAUTY AND MEANING. THERE MUST BE A PLACE UNDER THE STARS TO CHART A COURSE THAT IS OURS TO OUR OWN BETHLEHEMS.
- Glenn H. Turner

Some questions to ask:
What are you feeling as we move into another Christmas season?
What do you dread?
What do you look forward to?
What rituals keep you focused?
If your tradition is not Christian (i.e. being Jewish, Muslim…) how do you
experience this season?

Select the topic and location for the next meeting

Check-out / Likes and Wishes

Closing Words:

"Give us a child’s heart, that we may be filled with wonder and delight."
Sara Moores Campbell

* Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Augusta, Maine