The Weekly Fare . . . December 19, 2002

Getting It Just Right

Watch out... hang on... this one might get a little "smoltzy." You know - like one of those cute little emails that tells you to "just wait and see what's going to happen" or that your underwear is going to catch on fire if you don't forward it to 500 people on your address list... So if this one winds up becoming one of those, don't blame me. I "caveat-ed it" right out of the gate....

But it happened. It really happened.

And it was just last week.

For some reason, known only to our Senior Minister and the two extraordinary women that lead our church youth choirs, we have our "Christmas Pageant every year on the first Sunday in December. For me this is just a tad bit early... like about fifteen days too early. This year it landed on the 8th, which was better than last year when it fell on the 2nd. But I could still taste the turkey from our Thanksgiving dinner. Advent? What Advent? We weren't even into double digits on the calender and the Angels, Shepherds and Kings had already come and gone. The Christ child would be sitting-up in the manger by the time we got to the 25th.

I guess the Kings had more important business later in the month. (Actually, we Presbyterians like to call them "Magi" - much more regal sounding, you know... This in spite of the fact that God's whole plan was clearly for things to be as un-regal as possible...)

So last week at 6:30 PM on Sunday the 8th of December 2002, I found myself in our church sanctuary relaxing and trying to think inspiring Christmas sort of thoughts, when one of the aforementioned extraordinary women leaned over and whispered, "Pssst, Stuart - would you mind turning down all the house lights when Dr. Anderson has concluded his introduction....

"Be happy to," I replied. Being a church of 1200 members there are, of course, two of us who actually know how to operate the lights and sound system. I've found this to be one of those inverse relationships true of all denominations - the larger the church, the fewer the number of people who know how to do anything requiring more knowledge than how to open hot dog packets at the annual picnic. If your church grows to over 2000 members you apparently hire people to do these things. But until such time I suppose "Doug" and I will keep throwing the switches...

But the problem with rookies (sorry, Doug), is that sometimes we don't get it "just right."

I leaned over and whispered to the wife, "I've gotta do the lights when they start - I'll be right back."

"Better take Rob", she replied.

For three-year-old Rob the invitation to go "work the lights" was right up there with Christmas morning. We arrived at the large panel in the back left corner of the church with plenty of time to spare. Rob stared in awe at the large stain glass panels lit up in the back of the church while I beheld the extraordinary beauty of the "Rose Window" up front above the pulpits and choir lofts.

As I marveled at the depth of color and the brilliance of the bright red roses against the deep cobalt blue that shown so gloriously above the children, I reminded myself not to hit the switch that controlled the 12,000 watt "mercury halide" light that back-lit this extraordinary window. It was the last switch at the bottom. "I'll be careful not to hit that one...," I thought.

I looked over at Rob who had turned his attention to the front of the church. Dr. Anderson was wrapping up his quick introduction. I readied my hands on the panel, "... And so now, listen for the voice of the angels and prepare your hearts for the coming of the Christ child..."

"Click-click-click-click-click... Click-click... Click..." There - perfect. Just right. The first unsure, yet angelic strains of the children's voices began as Rob and I returned hand in hand to our seats."

"O come all ye faithful..." I put my arm around the wife and relaxed. Rob snuggled in between us...

"O commme ye, O co-um-ye to Be-eth-le-ham..." The voices came together and rose with confidence above the congregation... Everything was just...

DISASTROUS!!

I looked up. My heart sank. I had done it. I had hit the last switch. The rose window loomed cold and quiet above - as black as night.

I looked around me. No one seemed to notice. Most everyone appeared to be too busy trying to get a good look at their children. But I was certain some of them must have seen it go off. "Of all of the nights...," I thought. I leaned over and pointed my error out to my wife who gave me a look that would have been over her glasses if she wore any.

"Better go take care of that," she said with annoyed chagrin. I returned to the back of the sanctuary with Rob on my heels.

"Flick." I hit the switch. It was then I saw the small note under the panel and remembered that it takes three minutes for such a light to recycle and come on. I impatiently looked at my watch and fidgeted. Rob craned his neck - looking and listening attentively to the music up front. Three minutes passed... five minutes... then ten. No light - the window remained dark and barren. To make matters worse the senior-highs continued to narrate the scene up front with scriptures having to do with...

LIGHT of course.

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light... those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined..." (Isaiah 9:2)

"He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him nothing was made that was made. In him was life and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it..." (John1:2-5.)

And neither did I. Why wasn't the durn light coming on? Had I recycled it on and off too fast and thus thrown a breaker in the basement? I knew where they were located - should I go check? Maybe I just hadn't thrown the switch all the way... Should I move it up and down again and risk re-starting the process?

I waited another couple of minutes. Nothing. My frustration was beginning to peak when I remembered my pledge to not to let any of the "details of the season" get in the way of enjoying and celebrating Christmas this year. But this was different - this was church and the pageant and the children and the...

"It's not any different..,." the whisper seemed to come. "You're always preaching trust - trust him now..."

"But this is just a matter of a light switch or a fuse and my hitting the wrong..."

"Trust."

Rob and I returned to our seats. I sat for several more minutes, increasingly frustrated. The program was almost over. A young woman walked hesitantly to the lectern.

"Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born in this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord..." (Luke2: 8-11)

As the reader sat down the soft strains of "Silent Night" began and the congregation seemed to relax back into their pews. The children stood up to sing...

"Silent Night... Holy Night... All is..."

And at the exact moment that the first chord was played the rose window
began to glow... Slowly it gathered it's light and as the children's voices floated out over us, we were once again bathed in the heavenly blues and reds that make up it's glorious design.... Somewhere above us in the old wooden timbers and trusses the words must have still echoed and rang...

"And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it..."

I suspect that many of us were so busy watching and enjoying the beauty of the scene below that we probably didn't notice the wonder of the light above... Which was O.K.... Everything was "just right" - whether we knew it or not.

May the light of the Lord find you in His own time - this Christmas and always.