Merry Christmastide

Dear Friends,

Merry Christmas! Many folks have boxed up their decorations, but at Bethesda, we’re still celebrating.

The season known as the twelve days of Christmas was codified in 567 at a Church council in Tours, France. Bishops there proclaimed the stretch between Christmas Day and Epiphany a time for rejoicing. So until January 6, it’s Christmastide! It may feel counter-cultural, but it’s our way of marking the joy of the incarnation.

This weekend’s Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival is part of our festivities. It’s also rooted in medieval history, when nobles would host lavish Epiphany celebrations involving the entire community. Similarly, the reason we thrill at the sound of Beefeaters’ marching, listen in awe to the wise men’s solos, and raise our voices in worship to the newborn King, is to share the joy of the incarnation with the entire community.

It's a whole lot of fun, sort of like “High School Musical” meets the Church. But isn’t that part of our message, too? Not the “High School Musical” part, the fun part – the warmth of relationships and well-loved traditions, of generations gathering to delight in God’s goodness. The Boar’s Head is an open invitation to new life in Christ, a life we share with gusto.

At the show’s conclusion, our rector famously skips out of the church holding a candle, hand-in-hand with a little sprite. It’s a delightful ending, but one with a purpose. The Boar’s Head Festival is one more way we bring the candle of Christ’s light to the world. Won’t you invite a friend and join us?

Warmly,
The Rev. Susan R. Beebe