H is for.....

 H = HANDEL's MESSIAH

The student pastor/choir director at my home church determined for the Fourth Sunday of Advent interested congregants would sing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah as the sung benediction at the 11 am worship service.

Handel's Messiah is as much a part of the Advent and Christmas season as is Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Ballet. Because we didn't have the floor space in the sanctuary we went with the singing piece.

I signed up to be part of this effort and cleared my schedule to participate in the rehearsals.  

I am not gifted in the talent of music or song.  I am one always singing harmony with the definition of harmony being any note your neighbor is not singing and, trust me, my deaf tone self never has anyone singing the same note....not gonna happen. 

The first rehearsal, the choir director asked the 25-30 persons gathered to arrange ourselves in our vocal ranges. Because "sounds only dogs can hear" was not an option, I knew the timbre of my voice was deep and joined the altos. 

Because Handel's Hallelujah Chorus relies on knowing when to sing your part and when to come in, I was instructed to follow Helen, the alto choir member who was quite the character and had begun to lose some of her mental acuities. Perfect, what could possibly go wrong. We practiced and I deemed it a success when I did not come in too early and that my fellow altos surrounding me did not politely suggest that maybe instead I should help to pass out the programs.  In fact, in recruiting more church members to join in the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus, the choir director's sale's pitch was, "Sally's doing it....you certainly can do it."

The performance on that Fourth Sunday in Advent many decades ago went off wonderfully and as I sung I was misty-eyed and moved by the power of the music, the connection of the choir, and the shared experience with my home congregation.

During the beginning of Luke's Gospel, it's like a Broadway musical, everyone is singing.....so should we....sing out this season and bring the joy!

Advent Alphabet

 

G = GO!

I’m all in for many, many more silent nights during the Advent and Christmas season.  Yet, there is too much to do, lists upon lists, preparation at home and work and church…it’s a hectic time.   Those views being true, then why of all the better Christmas-y “G” words did I select Go????

 

Because the story hinges on the shepherds, rough, smelly, poor, taken-for-granted if noticed at all, loyal to their flock folk.  These are my kind of people.  Of course, it is to these folks the angels appear and sing the message of the birth of Jesus.  Once the last note concludes the next word spoken from angelic voices is “Go.”

 

True, it’s not every day one is serenaded by an angelic chorus and after that experience pretty much whatever was asked next had a decent chance of being followed…. yet, with sheep in tow and the cold of the night air making their breath visible, the shepherds went and found and witnessed. 

Advent Alphabet

 F = FAMILY PHOTO

In our family we mark memories from before and after our father got a camera.

Initially the photos were nature pictures taken in his many walks and time spent in the outdoors.  Then, dad started taking the family pics and soon that lead to preparing, posing and photographing for the clan for the traditional family Christmas photo with hopes of said photo being the family Christmas card.  

 

As you will note, we had only one year when the family Christmas photo was taken. 

The photo never made it outside the family until decades later for a kick I used the photo for my annual Christmas card: