Traditions are powerful things.
In 2018, I wrote about the beginnings and the history of Lessons and Carols at West Virginia Wesleyan College. The feeling of being in Wesley Chapel with a multitude of people, and singing Christmas carols at the top of your voice accompanied by the booming organ stirs the soul. The reading of the Christmas story by leaders of the campus community brings a feeling of family. The choirs presenting music that has been carefully chosen and practiced for months is something wonderful to experience. If you had asked me a year ago, I would have said that there could be no other way to bring in the Christmas season. You can read that former blog here.
This, however, is 2020. Crowds of people singing is not a good idea from the standpoint of public health. As with everything else, we have been pushed to think about the true meaning of it all. The meaning is two-fold: the celebration of the birth of Jesus and the coming together as a community.
This evening, both of those things happened. In a very different way.
Thanks to the leadership and creativity of Caitlin Ware and a host of volunteers, the birth of Christ was celebrated beautifully. The scriptures were read, and members of the campus community: students, faculty, staff, alumni, administration, and clergy from the West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, joined together – virtually.
Although it was very different, it was perfect. It was personal, related to the world of our day, and delivered with love. As a bonus, it was delivered via YouTube and will therefore be available to enjoy again! You can view it here.
Now it can be Christmas – even in 2020. Especially in 2020.