Once more, with feeling.

06Dec
by Jon Swanson

In 1966, I was in third grade. I had a fourth-grade part in the Christmas program at church. I’m not sure what third-graders did, but I got to hold a wreath and repeat a few lines. The lines were typed on a card affixed to the back of the wreath, but I knew them.

I don’t know what I said. I don’t know significance of the wreath to the program, to the whole story of Christmas. All I know is that I was scared and I was in it.

It was the first of decades of Christmas programs. In some I have read, some I have written. I’ve done readings with both of my sisters. I’ve created videos and run audio and sung in choirs and been the producer. I’ve even written a song for a drama I wrote.

For the past 7 years, Nancy has done Christmas events with a children’s choir. Many of them Hope was part of as well.

This year, neither Nancy nor I are running anything for Christmas. It has been nice.

Until Friday night.

Friday night we went to hear Hope sing in a college choir. I listened to them singing the Good News of great joy which is to all people. And I started crying. They were wrestling through the lyrics, giving voice to the story.

I understand the stress of the programs. I understand that the drive to get everything ready for the Christmas programs and pageants can suck all of the joy out of Christmas. I have heard directors ream out choirs, leading me to wonder what happen to the glad tidings.

But there must be a way to tell the story, again, without making it about our perfection in telling, to know the drama without all the drama.

Once more, with feeling.

6 thoughts on “Once more, with feeling.”

  1. Rich Dixon's avatar

    Rich Dixon

    This made me laugh–probably not the reaction you were looking for.

    I pictured the original stable, with an angel blocking out the scene so the charaacters were in the right place for a good camera shot when the wise men entered. A shepherd’s trying to get the stupid sheep to stand still. Another angel’s cleaning up after the donkey who pooped right in front of the baby, and Mary’s mad because the camera won’t get her best profile. And Joseph wants a bigger part.

    That’s how it happens when we do it.

    I’ll bet that’s not how it happened when God did it.

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  2. Hugh McDevitt's avatar

    Hugh McDevitt

    Jon, I’ve been reading your blog for a few weeks now. The choir I direct is preparing for Lessons and Carols service in two weeks. Your post is a good reminder of the purpose of what we are doing. Striving for excellence is important, but striving for perfection puts the emphasis on the wrong place.

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  4. Hugh McDevitt's avatar

    Hugh McDevitt

    I just wanted to report back that our choir sang the Lessons and Carols service Sunday afternoon. I think I managed to get a decent mix of encouragement in our rehearsals leading up to the service. Both the congregation (a full house on a wet and windy California December afternoon) and the singers seemed to find it a meaningful spiritual and musical experience. Merry Christmas!

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