Christmas in July

The theme of the services for this year's Conference on Worship, Theology and the Arts at St. Olaf's is Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. We will participate in services that focus on how to bring significance to these events that are such a large part of the liturgical calendar for the church. Check out the services we experienced in their online archives.

Our opening service was a Lessons and Carols. The platform was their usual setup, devoid of Christmas decor. But suspended from the ceiling over the center aisle was a boat shaped wire and wooden holder supporting an large advent wreath with pillars as candles surrounded by a full pine wreath. It's difficult to see it except from certain camera shots. The processional singers stood in the aisles and waited while the appropriate candles were lighted by a very tall candle lighting pastor.

The celebration of Advent began with creation, a reading accompanied by organ music that reflected the emotion of the text. I realized immediately how thoughtful and significant these services were going to be. Models really for how to take the faith stories we have heard from infancy and enrich them fully, bringing out many facets of meaning, many connections to our day and age, many ideas to explore and consider. To allow time for personal devotional reflection in the midst of liturgically ordained activity.

Christmas in July usually means somebody wants to get presents in the middle of the year, to experience the joy of the materialistic season to gratify their own need for special happiness. But from the first touch of the organ keyboard, it was clear that what I would experience here was far more than that. It was a celebration and exploration of God's goodness and eternal love in ways that would touch the heart deeply.

I cannot wait to experience more, but for tonight, I head to my first session with a full heart. I know that being here is exactly where I need to be. That God's goodness has prepared for me a table filled to overflowing with good things meant to help heal my wounded and shriveled heart, to restore to me the drought of last summer, to flood my soul with his living waters. All summer has been just that for me from the first trip to my sister's in Tennessee straight through Concordia and visiting friends in Holland and spending a week at Lakeside Chautauqua and now, bless my heart and soul, this extraordinary week forthcoming here at St Olaf.

It will be a week of tears flowing, as they did a moment ago while I am washed and refreshed by the very presence of God in the celebration of Advent I just partook of. I only wish I could bring many many people here with me to experience this refreshing. At best, I can only do what I can to bring cups of water from here to where I will return, to encourage everyone to drink deeply at God's fountain of life. But right now, I am full.

I wonder that I could have ever thought I was taxed beyond my ability to endure. How so not true.