Christmas Concert

So, a Hutterite walks into a United Church of Christ, sounds like a bad joke in the making but they were the only one offering a Christmas concert I could find ....

Of course, I am one legged, using a kneeling cart to approach the church - and I figured it was in the basement as this was brightly lit.  Nope, it was up a series of stairs which rose perhaps 60 feet up a hillside to the second level of the church!  OMG!  Really?

But, a little old lady tugged on my sleeve and told me there was a hidden elevator and then escorted all the way into the sanctuary!  Another instance of a little old lady helping an Eagle Scout!  LOL ...

The concert was made up of instrumentals and lots of singing.  But something was really wrong here!

The first song was Silent Night, in German - and since I have been slowly relearning my German - since the last surgery - I was ready to sing along!  Only, it took me a few moments to realize that she did not speak German - but spoke French and every word was pronounced as though it was a French word!  So, just cut off pronunciation of the last two letters of every word and then slur them because you have to do the "quiver" in your voice!  (pick any song and try this, it is hilarious!)  I have no idea why people sing like that - no one can understand a single word when you do!  And about half a dozen vocals were done that way!  ARGH!

There was flute playing and bell ring and several choirs.  And during the bell ringing, standing up there was someone I knew!  One of "my kids" from 30 years ago!  What the heck?  This is one small world!  She did see me as the crowd was thinning out and she was putting her bells away - oh how she exploded in a smile, ran down the aisle and threw herself on me!  Sure glad I was still seated!  We ended up going out for a late dinner and talked perhaps four hours, or so.  From a humanistic viewpoint, she has done well for herself.  Spiritually, well ...

But, as I have thought on this concert last Sunday, I realized there was a huge problem with it - not a single song used the name Jesus, Son of God, nor God for that matter!  Lots of songs about angels though and anytime those unpopular names might appear - a piano solo kicked in.  EEPAH!

So, I guess that sums up the UCC church nicely - a social club were God is not welcome, nor advertised.  I was sorry to see that.  My beloved Uncle Leonard was a UCC member - but he was the definition of a Godly man - so they must have changed since his day.  Or, perhaps, it was the only church in his town.  Sigh ...

Jesus is the only reason for this season we celebrate.  Without Him, well, all you have is feel good-ism, gifts and fractured family gatherings.  Not a Christmas I would care to celebrate.