The Wondrous Is Given

Advent and 2020 with Reflections from Church Members and Staff

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Advent 2020 Dear Members and Friends of PCCH, Christmas 2020 (and by that I mean Advent and Christmas and all that surrounds them) will be unlike any that we can remember. A global pandemic is not diminishing as I write this, and rather is re-gaining momentum. Many of us have re-calibrated our Thanksgiving plans and will do the same for Christmas. National political anxiety persists. In the midst of all of this, your church staff and leaders are seeking to provide opportunities that will anticipate and celebrate the birth of the in creative and faithful ways. Many of the things we’ve taken for granted – or at least come to expect – simply cannot happen. Singing in groups. Sharing a meal in Widener Hall. Our children helping us hear the Christmas story yet again. So we will endeavor to hear the story in new ways, and gather outdoors and online to be in this new kind of COVID community. We will also be invited to share our resources to support our mission partners, perhaps the most important thing we can do at Christmas-time. This booklet contains the highlights of our Advent and Christmas offerings. Please keep engaging,

3 even if you are suffering screen fatigue. Connect how you can when you can. The second part of the booklet contains brief reflections from our gifted members and staff. I simply posed an invitation to them – write a brief reflection on a meaningful gift. They did the rest, and their reflections are wonderful. Thanks to them. I will be sharing sermons around a similar theme – that of “.” That word might lead us directly to think of presents under the tree, and that’s not all bad. But consider gifts more broadly, and how things (sometimes) or people, or moments, come into our lives and make them qualitatively better. Bonny, Kenneth, Ann and I join in wishing you and yours every blessing in this holy season. We hope you stay safe and healthy and find gifts of love in new and profound ways. May the peace, hope and joy of the Christ child be yours. Faithfully,

John Wilkinson

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Advent and Christmas 2020

November 29 First Sunday of Advent 9:30 a.m. Church School at www.chestnutpres.org 10:00 a.m. Worship at www.chestnuthillpres.org John Wilkinson preaching, “The Gift of Being Alert,” Isaiah 64:1-9 and Mark 13:24-37

December 2 (Wednesday) 12:00 Noon, Bible study on Facebook Live www.facebook.com/PCChestnutHill

December 4 (Friday) 7:30 a.m. Morning prayer on Facebook Live www.facebook.com/PCChestnutHill

December 6 Second Sunday of Advent 9:30 a.m. Church School at www.chestnutpres.org 10:00 a.m. Worship at www.chestnuthillpres.org John Wilkinson preaching, “The Gift of Being Prepared,” Isaiah 40:1-11 and Mark 1:1-8 11:00 a.m. Second Hour Online (via Zoom) “What Is Advent?” led by John Wilkinson

December 9 (Wednesday) 12:00 Noon, Bible study on Facebook Live www.facebook.com/PCChestnutHill

December 11 (Friday) 7:30 a.m. Morning prayer on Facebook Live www.facebook.com/PCChestnutHill

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December 12 (Saturday) Advent Retreat (via Zoom), 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon “The Gifts of Christmas” led by John Wilkinson

Reflecting on the promises of Advent and Christmas through prose, poetry, music and art. RSVP at 215.247.8855 or [email protected] by December 10 to receive Zoom link and retreat materials.

Walk of the Holy Family In the Spirit of , 4:30 p.m.

PCCH will join with area churches in a Christmas event that raises critical funds for the Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network (PIHN) to support homeless families in our community.

Las Posadas a traditional Latin American festival that commemorates the journey of Mary and Joseph as they seek shelter to welcome the birth of the baby .

The walk commences at Christ Ascension Lutheran Church (8300 Germantown Avenue) and concludes at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (22 E. Chestnut Hill Avenue) with numerous stops at businesses along Germantown Avenue. The walk is approximately 6/10 of a mile and is suitable for all ages. Walkers will wear masks and travel in small groups to maintain social distancing.

Join us as a walk-a-thon fundraiser, create a team of walkers, or simply participate by making a donation of your choice (recommended $5-$10 per person, $25 for a family). To learn more about the event and how to take

6 part visit http://philashelter.org/index.php/news-and- events/walk-of-the-holy-family/

December 13 Third Sunday of Advent 9:30 a.m. Church School at www.chestnutpres.org 10:00 a.m. Worship at www.chestnuthillpres.org John Wilkinson preaching, “The Gift of Testimony,” Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 and John 1:6-8, 19-28 11:00 a.m. Second Hour Online (via Zoom) “The Music of Advent” led by Ken Lovett

December 16 (Wednesday) 12:00 Noon, Bible study on Facebook Live www.facebook.com/PCChestnutHill

December 18 (Friday) 7:30 a.m. Morning prayer on Facebook Live www.facebook.com/PCChestnutHill

December 20 Fourth Sunday of Advent 9:30 a.m. Church School at www.chestnutpres.org 10:00 a.m. Worship at www.chestnuthillpres.org John Wilkinson preaching, “The Gift of Pondering,” Luke 1:26-55

December 23 (Wednesday) 12:00 Noon, Bible study on Facebook Live www.facebook.com/PCChestnutHill

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*** December 24 – Three Opportunities to Celebrate the Birth of the Christ Child… 5:00 p.m. Christmas Celebration on the Front Lawn. This service, for all ages, will feature the Christmas story and music of the season. Bring your own chairs and masks, and join with the entire PCCH family to celebrate Christmas.

Christmas Pageant Online. Join PCCH’s children as they share the story of Jesus’ birth as they’ve never done before! This virtual pageant will provide a space for families to watch, sing along, and hear the old, old story in a new way! The pageant will be available for viewing by December 23. Stay tuned for details. Service of Lessons and Carols Online. Our traditional service features the narrative of the nativity and music of the season offered by our choral soloists – availability date to be announced. ***

December 25 Merry Christmas! Morning Prayer will return January 8, 2021

December 27 First Sunday of Christmas 9:30 a.m. Church School at www.chestnutpres.org 10:00 a.m. Worship at www.chestnuthillpres.org Words and Music to Celebrate the Gift of Christmas

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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

SOCIAL WITNESS – Opportunities to share your time and resources…

ACHIEVABILITY This holiday season, PCCH has committed to collecting gifts for 40 children participating in he Achieveability program. ACHIEVEability, works to permanently break the generational cycle of poverty for low income, single parent, and homeless families through higher education, affordable housing, supportive services, community and economic development, and accountability. Every year, ACHIEVEability provides holiday gifts to children in West Philadelphia that would otherwise go without – and this year will be no exception. ACHIEVEability has made the process both safe and easy for us to give this year. After Thanksgiving, we will receive Amazon wish lists for each child we will sponsor. Congregation members can choose to deliver gifts to PCCH or have them sent directly to ACHIEVEability. Please be on the lookout for more details about how to sign up to sponsor a child. You may go ahead and let Beth Vaccaro know that you would like to participate at [email protected] and she will get you a wish list when we receive information from ACHIEVEability.

THE FACE to FACE SANDWICH BRIGADE MARCHES ON! In October we had such an amazing congregational response — nearly 200 sandwiches and lunch bag items — to Face To Face’s request to supply its food-insecure clients, that we have signed on for several more dates. Mark your calendars to join the next sandwich brigade

9 on Thursday December 16; details to follow. In the meantime, we are collecting shelf-stable items for the lunch bags: granola bars, packets of nuts, fruit cups or applesauce, bottled water, sandwich size Ziploc bags, and paper lunch bags. Drop these off in the Reception Room at your convenience.

In addition to in-home sandwich-making, we will be looking for a few volunteers to help assemble the lunch bags that Thursday evening, and to transport them to Face to Face on Friday morning. Questions? Contact Beth Vaccaro ([email protected]) or Suzan Willcox ([email protected]).

LONGEST NIGHT SERVICE – Christmas is a joyful celebration of Christ’s birth, and yet many people find the holidays to be a time of sadness, grief, and longing. On the longest night of the year, we acknowledge these feelings and pray together for a world in which there are no more tears. This service will be available by December 21. Stay tuned for details.

VIRTUAL CHOIR – The Gallery Choir is in the midst of making a series of "virtual choir" videos with six other churches in our corner of the Presbytery: Oxford, Summit, Cedar Park, East Falls, Mt. Airy, and First Pres. Germantown. We are singing three Christmas hymns together, with each singer recording themselves alone before being combined digitally. The final products will be part of our worship service on December 27.

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YOUTH – Contact Brian Russo to RSVP and get further information

>Sunday, December 6 (1:00 to 4:00 p.m.): Habitat for Humanity Event "Rake-A-Thon" (in conjunction with UPENN: raking leaves for residents to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia). RSVP by November 22.

>Saturday, December 12 (4:00 to 5:30 p.m.): Las Posadas "Walk of the Holy Family" event (see details above): We will walk with other neighborhood churches to raise critical funds for the Philadelphia Interfaith Hospitality Network (PIHN) which supports homeless families in our community. RSVP by November 29.

>Sunday, December 20 (5:00 to 6:00 p.m.): Socially- Distanced Christmas Party by the firepits. A $10 gift and card to the person randomly assigned to you. RSVP by December 6.

CENTER ON THE HILL – THE CENTER ON THE HILL has returned to offering online only activities to participate in or watch from home. Join us for workshops, lectures, fitness videos, virtual tours, crafts, games and much more online! New content is posted Monday—Thursday at Noon here: www.chestnuthillpres.org/center-on-the- hill/programs/ Stay Connected. Stay Active. Stay Well this holiday season!

PCCH PRESCHOOL – Our preschool has been safely open and COVID- free since September 8! To our knowledge, we are the only private school in Chestnut Hill who has been able to remain open, uninterrupted,

11 since the summer. Our beautiful building has been so happy once again; full of creative learning and innovative play. How lucky we are to have each other! We are remaining diligent about wearing masks, cleaning, and safe choices when on campus and away so that we can remain together in person.

We continue to study our preschool’s playful focus on early mathematics, science, fine arts, literacy, music, Spanish, cultural celebration, and movement. This year we celebrate the third year of Famous Folks, an especially unique aspect of our program. Famous Folks is integrated within our curriculum, wherein teachers and students learn together about heroes of color, remarkable women, inspiring scientists, famous artists, moving musicians, and social justice up-standers. The Famous Folks program takes place in every classroom at our school throughout the entire school year. As are we, it is ever growing and evolving.

We are planning to launch an online auction as our first- ever scholarship fundraiser, during the winter holidays. For more information about PCCH Preschool, please reach out to the director, Carla DiOrio, at [email protected] or visit www.PCCHpreschool.org.

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The Wondrous Gift Is Given: Reflections on Meaningful Gifts

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“How silently, how silently The wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heaven. No ear may hear His coming, But in this world of sin, Where meek souls will receive him, still The dear Christ enters in.

~Phillips Brooks (1868) “O Little Town of ”

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Advent is a season of waiting. How fitting for this year, when so many of us are waiting. Waiting for new hope to be born in the world, yes, but more. Waiting for a chance to return to worship inside the sanctuary again. Waiting for businesses to start hiring again. Waiting to hug friends we haven’t seen in person for a while. Waiting for a vaccine. Waiting for January 20. When I think of a meaningful gift I have received, for some reason my thoughts turn to a gift I have given. Every year since they were little I have made Advent calendars for my daughters, with little cartoon or angels or snowmen behind each

13 daily door. I’ve always loved Advent calendars and will buy two or three for myself each year, as well. It makes counting down the days until Christmas fun but it occurs to me that advent is the only season when we do count down each individual day, greeting each morning with excitement to see what surprise is in store when we open the next door on the . The gift, I suppose, is in that very deliberateness, breaking down the month-long season into pieces to examine and enjoy one by one. The season is not about what lies at the end but in each little step we take towards it. ~Mark Bernstein ***

I’m not sure any of us could have imagined a year or an Advent like this. So much has been taken from us, our lives and our children’s. Even those of us who are privileged (a bus I am not only riding, but taking turns driving) have felt loss. And yet, even amidst that loss – some of it small, some of it great – I also can’t help but feel that I have been surprisingly blessed.

For instance:

- I can’t say I was asking for months on end at home with my son, but what an amazing gift that has been to spend so much time and to experience so many things with him!

- I can’t say I was asking for opportunities to master the art of ministerial telecommunications, and yet, I feel like I sort of have!

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- I can’t say I was asking to have reunions with friends over a computer screen with muting options, and yet, I have enjoyed more reunions with more friends in 2020 than over the last decade in total!

Now of course, it hasn’t all been so rosy. In fact, there’s been some downright terrible weeks full of anxiety, exhaustion, sadness and anger. But there have almost been, in some equal measure, wonderful moments that I probably would have not had enjoyed otherwise. And for that I am thankful.

And hoping to remember in the months and years ahead.

And so in this Advent season, when we are encouraged to be in expectant waiting of a light and a hope to come, I honestly wait in greater expectation than in any other year before. And even though I must wait, I find that I also cannot... for I am so excited for the light to finally come, and then for Spring to bloom, so to return once again, but this time, better seasoned and more reformed than all of the versions and iterations that existed before.

~Brian Russo, Associate Pastor

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I was around eight or nine years old. My older brother and sister and I had to wait upstairs for the “all ready” signal from my parents. Once the okay was sounded, we scrambled down the stairs to the living room, where

15 tree, colored lights, decorations, crèche, presents, and my beaming mother and father greeted us.

There they stood: three gleaming red new bicycles for the three Fles kids.

During the late 40’s and early 50’s my father and three partners were starting a business. Times were tough. Whatever money he was making had to go back into the business and pay off the loans that got him started. Back then, I knew very little about his business, the financial demands it made on my parents, and the family’s tight circumstances. Dad working late again? Tuna hotdish or leftovers for dinner again? Hand-me- down clothes for me that my brother had outgrown? That was the routine. I never thought we were poor or struggling; I never realized the tight budget my parents had to manage or the emotional strain that starting up a business imposed on them.

Those three bikes, I realized in later years, were both a huge sacrifice on my parents’ part and a sign that the years of struggling to keep the new business afloat and keep a family of five fed and clothed had begun to pay off.

I really don’t remember if we kids received other presents that day or took out our bikes for a Christmas afternoon ride. Nor do I remember the traditional Christmas morning church service or traditional dinner at my grandparents’ home that evening.

But my first look descending the stairs at those three gleaming red bikes with my parents standing by them

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~Robert Fles

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Twenty years ago the first Festival of Music and Arts was held. I don't remember much about it except that Rebecca Thornburgh insisted I show some of my work in the exhibition that was planned. I insisted I had nothing new to contribute. I had been concentrating on graphic design and art direction and raising three (fabulous) offspring. I had not shown my fine art work in ages. Rebecca's belief in me and encouragement goaded me to make five paintings for that exhibition and ultimately launched me fully back into the world as a fine artist. I was able to get gallery representation and go on to create many, many paintings. She was there again when the Souls Shot Portrait Project was launched and remains a vital part of it today. Art is a strange and necessary part of the world and artists are invaluable cheerleaders for each other. So, as Rebecca and I drew through sermons over the years (those first five paintings were called The Sermon Portraits because the creatures in them were all taken from drawings I made in church) we have been able to give our gifts to the world in many ways. I am thankful for the confidence and trust in myself that she gave me. I hope I have been able to return that gift to her.

~Laura Madeleine

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In February of 2019 I started my first day on the job at The Center on the Hill. I had pursued this job because I genuinely felt called to this work. I wanted to connect and serve my community. I had not expected the warm reception, outpouring of kindness and support from everyone I meet, and continue to meet through my work at the Center. It is truly a gift to wake up every day knowing I am going to work with, connect with, and support wonderful people each day, even when we cannot be physically together. It is a gift to feel so appreciated, and cared about by so many neighbors that I care for as well. I was a tumbleweed all across America most of my life before settling in Philadelphia 12 years ago. Now I have found a home, a career and a community I love. I will forever be grateful.

~Mariangela Saavedra, Director Center on the Hill ***

When the pandemic began for us in March I didn’t think any of this would be a gift. Quite the contrary. Precious time with my grandson and parents was being stolen from me! But I have been wanting to dedicate more of my time to watercolor painting and so in April I began to use my new found free time to paint. It’s been a lovely gift as it has side effects – all good. I’m honing and developing a skill that’s been left dormant for a long time and it’s very calming. It takes my mind off the things that have been dominating the news lately and even provided me with gifts for people. I’d love to be

18 taking an in-person class for watercolor right now but instead I’m benefitting from some short videos on YouTube and numerous watercolor “pages” on Facebook, even taking a stab at 2 point perspective which I’d always wanted to try. I’m thankful that I’ve been shown there’s an upside to being in lockdown and isolating.

~Esther Cole, Church Administrator

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Haiku for “gifts”:

When we are children It’s the wrapping, the ribbon, The tearing open.

As we get older We appreciate what is inside With deeper insight.

Toys give way to books; Hand-knit sweaters are now loved More than trendy clothes.

Finally, we see That it truly is “The thought That counts.” Amen, yes?

Not all gifts are in Our Christmas stockings. Some are Harder to discern.

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Family laughter As we sit at the table Telling old stories.

Memories of those Who have gone before, still loved. Toast: “To absent friends.”

True gifts surround us, Both obvious and hidden. Be on the lookout.

You may find a gift In an unexpected place. That is the sweetest.

~Margaret Spencer

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One of the best Christmas gifts I ever received wasn’t even exactly the right gift. When I was around 7 or 8, my best friend had the prettiest roller skates. They were white leather, with a pink and purple and white stripe around the top of the ankle, and pink wheels. I desperately wanted a pair, even though I was just barely learning how to roller skate. I wrote out a meticulously detailed description of these fabulous skates and waited with bated breath to see if they would appear under the tree on Christmas morning. Lo and behold, there were roller skates waiting for me when I raced downstairs, but they weren’t the “right” roller skates. These were more greyish purple than white, and had a combination of canvas and rough

20 leather instead of the white, smooth boots I had envisioned. They did have pink wheels, but not the stripes at the top like I wanted. I had enough sense, thankfully, to cover up most of my disappointment, but I felt a little let down.

Then, we made our annual trip to San Antonio to spend some time with my grandparents. Outside of their house was the smoothest sidewalk anywhere. I spent hours outside, practicing my skating skills with a rotating roster of family members holding my hand as I made my way up and down the sidewalk. I learned how to roller skate in those “imperfect” skates, but that wasn’t what made them the best gift. Ultimately, the time with people who loved me was the best gift, and still is the best gift. This is a gift that Jesus gave so well in scripture. While there were times when he wanted to get away from the crowds, when he was with people, he gave his full attention and didn’t hurry them away. I imagine Jesus would have held the hand of a little girl learning to roller skate if he’d had the chance. In this season of holy waiting, may we all sense the gracious presence that Christ gives to us as we continue to learn how to move through these times.

~Margaret Poteet

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Like many people, I have not lived in my hometown of Amherst, MA since graduating high school. As I started a family in New Jersey, we realized how much we all wished my parents were closer as months would go by between our visits. After each of them had a serious

21 medical emergency in the past few years (and much subsequent nagging by me), they made the decision to move to a retirement community in New Jersey, about 15 minutes from our house. I am glad to be able to give back to them the care and support that they have showed me, and that they are a regular part of my family's life. They haven't been happier in years, too, as they are immersed in an active and interesting community. After 50 years in one town, there is no doubt that packing up their lives and making such a big transition was not easy for a couple of octogenarians. Already facing some serious isolation in Massachusetts, they thankfully moved here a year before the pandemic, and did not have to ride it our alone as so many seniors have. I know that this added time with my parents is not to be taken for granted, and I am thankful for this gift.

~Dan Spratlan, Director of Music

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A family move when I was six meant saying goodbye to the sweet little wooden playhouse built by my beloved dad. I’ve longed ever since to recreate the wonderful moments of play in that magical space—as an artist, more or less a grownup, I imagined having an outdoor studio as my “playhouse.” On my birthday six years ago, my wonderful husband serenaded me with a song he’d written to tell me that my dream for a playhouse was about to come true. On a weekend that spring, my childhood best friend—a skilled carpenter—arrived, as loads of building materials were delivered. A team of

22 enthusiastic friends showed up to saw boards, nail down shingles, paint with purple and green and pink. Three days later, my charming little playhouse stood in our backyard. Since then I’ve spent many happy hours there—drawing, painting, reading, writing—with a fresh breeze, a view of sundappled leaves and friendly passersby, and a dog or two curled at my feet. What a wondrous gift indeed to have such a loving husband and so many amazing friends who worked together to make my childhood memory come alive again. I’m forever grateful.

~Rebecca Thornburgh

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*** The Gifts of Caregiving

As I pondered the topic of “A Meaningful Gift I’ve Received,” nothing specific came to mind. Then, I began to think about how dramatically my life has changed over the last two years. Prior to my Dad’s passing, he asked my husband and I if we would be willing to move to Hilton Head Island to take care of Mom, who is in the early stages of dementia. We knew it was a huge responsibility being Mom’s caregivers but we really had no idea what we signed up for or the fact that my Mom did not remember we were moving in with her or that she did not want us to “take care of her.” To say the last two years have been challenging is an understatement. In the same light, this time has been a gift for my husband and me. Our move has allowed the both of us to slow down a bit and enjoy some slow, southern living on a beautiful island. And the challenges of being caregivers has brought us closer together. We realize that we cannot do this “caregiving” role without working together as a team. Even though I often feel like we’ve swapped roles, I know that this time with my Mom is invaluable. My heart sings for the moments when my Mom laughs. We have always been close and we have a similar sense of humor. Some of my fondest memories with her are when we are laughing so hard that we begin to cry. So when my Mom and I are laughing together, I feel like she’s back to being “my Mom” and she is happy. Precious moments!

~Leslie Lefer, Coordinator of Communications

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*** Though my husband’s parents are both from South Carolina, they moved to Indiana to teach at Franklin College when my husband was a toddler. My in-laws were not accustomed to the tornado sirens in Indiana—so they took them seriously— and dutifully filed downstairs to the basement when the alarms sounded. As new professors who were still finishing their dissertations, they had little money. Nonetheless, my mother-in-law is a teacher by nature and resourceful by habit. One autumn day, during a tornado warning, she and then four-year-old Mark made a together in the basement. Using wooden clothespins for Mary, Joseph, shepherds, magi, and angels and scraps of fabric that were left over from the clothes Mom had made for her own family, she and Mark fashioned manger scene figures— including a fabric baby Jesus--to go with a few plastic toy animals salvaged from a child’s play farm. To this day I marvel at my mother-in-law’s creativity. Making the nativity scene helped to keep her calm and to keep an energetic four-year-old busy. For our oldest daughter’s first Christmas, Mom and Dad gave us that homemade nativity set. It is my favorite thing to unpack every year during Advent, and I love that it is virtually indestructible,

25 made by and for a child. Over the past seventeen years, the manger scene has been a seasonal reminder of childlike faith and wonder at Christmas. ~Austin Crenshaw Shelley Associate Pastor

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This seemed like a relatively easy 200-word document but I thought about this and came up with the usual material items, jewelry: rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, all of which I have received more than I need; treasured household items, a special clock, figurines, antiques, also many more than our household needs; artwork which hangs everywhere in our home as my husband is a weekend artist; and lovely pieces of clothing, again many more than I need. All of these things did not seem like something I wanted to write about.

I truly think my most beautiful and most treasured gift was the birth of our daughter, Quincy Anne. My husband and I had been married for eleven years and had had no pregnancies. I thought this was to be our married life, happy and filled with events like dining out, shows in Philadelphia and New York, the ballet, the orchestra, and lots of travel; again these were special and meaningful gifts as they brought our lives even closer. Then I truly believe God smiled down on us and I became pregnant, me at the age of 33 and my husband at the age of 49. It was a relatively uneventful pregnancy until the sixth month when problems with carrying the baby became a major problem. With total bed rest and daily injections, all happening while our family and friends moved us from a center city apartment to a home 25 miles out of the city, we were given the most precious Christmas gift anyone could ever receive. The very uneventful birth of our 7 lb. 13 oz. perfect baby girl.

Now after 40 years, she is still the best gift that we ever received. She continues to bring us joy every day of her

27 life, even giving us two beautiful granddaughters and a wonderful son-in-law. “She is the gift that just keeps on giving.”

~Evelyn Carpenter, Administrative Assistant ***

The most meaningful gift given to me was the gift of God's grace and love. God guides us, protects us, loves us. Only God's grace and love can see us through these unprecedented times and always.

We are all in this together with God by our side, so do not feel discouraged if you see only one set of footprints. God is there and will carry you through. I am continually amazed at how God can be everywhere for everybody, but He is and will always be. Appreciate the small things in life, especially now, tell your family and friends they are loved. God will not leave you ever. Stay strong in the Lord and you will be amazed, maybe not, how He will guide you through.

~Joan Demme

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the saddest and lowest parts of his life. He

28 questioned the Lord, "Lord you said that once I decided to follow you You would walk with me all the way. But I noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints I don't understand why when I needed you the most you would leave me." The Lord answered “My precious child, I would never leave you. When you saw only one set of footprints...... it was when I carried you." Margaret F. Powers (submitted by Joan Demme)

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Several years ago I had a call from the head of the residents' association at Cathedral Village, a nearby retirement community. Several of the residents were interested in forming a choir, and they asked if I might help them get it started. I had a full-time church job at the time, but agreed to work with them for a few weeks. A few weeks turned into ten happy years, during which we assembled a choir that grew to forty residents, had weekly rehearsals, performed concerts, and sang for many Village events. I'd been training choirs for some time, but the work at Cathedral Village required a very different skill set. There was nothing particularly unusual about our rehearsals; we did warm-ups, learned new music, and polished up older pieces. But many of our choir members came to rehearsals with issues common to older age: weakened physical conditions, sensory impairments, cognitive losses. Our rehearsals had as much to do with care as they did with music; the residents’ care for each other, the care they showed to me, and the care they called forth from me.

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A year or so before I “retired” from my work there, one of my favorite altos came up to the piano during a mid-rehearsal break. Amy was in the early stages of dementia, but always seemed to enjoy singing in our rehearsals, even if she needed assistance with holding her music and finding the right page numbers. As she approached the piano that day, she twirled a tiny object between two of her fingers. “I carved this when I was a teenager,” she said, “and I’d like you to have it.” She gave me a small, carved rooster, no more than two inches tall, and very delicate. I tucked the carving into my shirt pocket, and thanked her for the unusual gift. The tiny rooster sits high up on a window frame in my dining room. Each time I see it I think of Amy, and my friends at Cathedral Village, and the gifts they shared with me.

~Ken Lovett

*** I am wearing my meaningful gift as I write this, a gift that is as old as our son, 28 years. It is a very warm, Scandinavian-esque sweater from L.L. Bean. It was a gift from my in-laws, delivered by my mother-in-law. It is super-heavy and super-warm and a color and design that I like very much. But none of that is why it is meaningful. It is meaningful because I associate that gift with the arrival of our son, and the care of my mother-in-law. He was due on Valentine’s Day yet arrived on December 21, quite unexpectedly. He was hospitalized for several weeks because he was so premature. It was a harrowing

30 experience for all of us; we are grateful beyond grateful that his health is good, and better than good. When he was born, by mother-in-law, Patricia Ann Eidsen Claxton Puckett, came to Chicago immediately. She was a God-send, a Christmas angel. She could be with Bonny, who remained hospitalized for a few days, while I was with Kenneth at another hospital who had a NICU. She helped us pull things together and offered great moral support as we both then visited him. She cooked a tremendous southern Christmas meal for us with nary an ingredient in our pantry! When I took her to O’Hare and walked her to the gate (back when one could do those things), I put a pack of Wint-O-Green Lifesavers in her hand. She looked at me… “You were a lifesaver in every way. We couldn’t have navigated this without you.” She demurred at that point, but it is absolutely true. So when I wear this sweater, I think back to those days, those moments. I think of the doctors and nurses who cared for Bonny and Kenneth. I think of kids and families in NICU’s everywhere, especially at Christmas. I think of leading a Christmas Eve service in a tiny little Chicago Northside church, with a spouse in one hospital and a child in another, and people praying for him all across the nation. I think of the cornbread dressing we shared on Christmas Day, in our warm little apartment. And I think of Pat, my beloved mother-in-law, who was love incarnate for us at a fearful, awesome time in our family’s story. ~John Wilkinson, Pastor

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