Decorating the Christmas Tree at Leeds Church
The tree that graces the Leeds Church Parish Hall was cut at a local farm owned by one of our members. Christmas tree decorating was quite similar to an event I blogged about several weeks ago, when multigenerational congregation members gathered to create commemorative pennants for the All Saints Day procession. Once again the colored paper, spangled pipe cleaners, scissors, glue sticks, bottles of Elmer’s glue, magic markers, and “Crayola” crayons emerged from their storage place and were pressed into service.
Like the All Saints Day celebration, the event combined fun and religious instruction We were asked to make decorations with liturgical significance, an eye signifying wisdom, a manger, a sun, signifying the light of heaven, a key signifying the keys to the kingdom, and others that I don’t remember. After about 35 minutes of work by an intergenerational group of about 25, ranging in age from 2 years to over 70, the Leeds Choir (it normally numbers about 10) joined us to sing the hymn “O Come Immanuel”. Each verse of the carol referred to one of the decorations we had made. At the appropriate time for our particular creation, we added it to the tree.
Then we all went outside to rededicate the Church. Here is a brief background about the congregation from our website:
and Southern soldiers; one wall was pierced by an artillery shell from a nearby hostile engagement. Leeds Parish, covering much of Northern and Central Fauquier County, was established in 1769 by action of the Virginia House of Burgesses, and has been in continuous existence since then. Services continued throughout the Revolutionay War as its clergy supported the colonies in that conflict. Its boundaries orginally encompassed several churches. The present building, the Episcopal Church of Leeds Parish, was consecrated by Bishop William Meade in August 1842.
Leeds Parish has often been a witness to history. The church building was occupied during the Civil War by Northern Lee and Longstreet's troops marched past (on what is now Route 688) on their way to the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg. Confederate General Turner Ashby was a member of the parish. Dr. James Markham Ambler, a communicant of the parish, lost his life in the Jeannette Artic Expedition of 1881 because of his heroic refusal to leave his dying patients. Dr. Ambler is buried in Leeds Cemetery and his grave is marked by a stone column erected in his memory by the U.S. Navy.
The Congregation, which is not large or wealthy is raising more than $200,000 to restore the building. A few weeks ago the work was completed. Today, perhaps 100 members of the congregation stood outside the newly restored building. We acknowledged the contributions of the builder, a member of the community and congregation, who completed the work. We prayed that the building would continue to sustain the life of the congregation.
It is healthy to get out of the hypocritical and hyper-politicized life of Washington DC (not that I don’t love living in Washington DC) and spend time with a growing community of friends in the Leeds Church community. We have put the election behind us, though Bush-Cheney and Kerry-Edwards remain on bumper stickers in the parking lot in roughly equal numbers. Community members treat each other, for the most part, with civility and respect. There is time to sit with our children, trading glue sticks to create a hand decorated Christmas Tree. The Choir may never grace the Kennedy Center stage, but we all get to sing.
The Peace of the Lord be with you.
Like the All Saints Day celebration, the event combined fun and religious instruction We were asked to make decorations with liturgical significance, an eye signifying wisdom, a manger, a sun, signifying the light of heaven, a key signifying the keys to the kingdom, and others that I don’t remember. After about 35 minutes of work by an intergenerational group of about 25, ranging in age from 2 years to over 70, the Leeds Choir (it normally numbers about 10) joined us to sing the hymn “O Come Immanuel”. Each verse of the carol referred to one of the decorations we had made. At the appropriate time for our particular creation, we added it to the tree.
Then we all went outside to rededicate the Church. Here is a brief background about the congregation from our website:
and Southern soldiers; one wall was pierced by an artillery shell from a nearby hostile engagement. Leeds Parish, covering much of Northern and Central Fauquier County, was established in 1769 by action of the Virginia House of Burgesses, and has been in continuous existence since then. Services continued throughout the Revolutionay War as its clergy supported the colonies in that conflict. Its boundaries orginally encompassed several churches. The present building, the Episcopal Church of Leeds Parish, was consecrated by Bishop William Meade in August 1842.
Leeds Parish has often been a witness to history. The church building was occupied during the Civil War by Northern Lee and Longstreet's troops marched past (on what is now Route 688) on their way to the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg. Confederate General Turner Ashby was a member of the parish. Dr. James Markham Ambler, a communicant of the parish, lost his life in the Jeannette Artic Expedition of 1881 because of his heroic refusal to leave his dying patients. Dr. Ambler is buried in Leeds Cemetery and his grave is marked by a stone column erected in his memory by the U.S. Navy.
The Congregation, which is not large or wealthy is raising more than $200,000 to restore the building. A few weeks ago the work was completed. Today, perhaps 100 members of the congregation stood outside the newly restored building. We acknowledged the contributions of the builder, a member of the community and congregation, who completed the work. We prayed that the building would continue to sustain the life of the congregation.
It is healthy to get out of the hypocritical and hyper-politicized life of Washington DC (not that I don’t love living in Washington DC) and spend time with a growing community of friends in the Leeds Church community. We have put the election behind us, though Bush-Cheney and Kerry-Edwards remain on bumper stickers in the parking lot in roughly equal numbers. Community members treat each other, for the most part, with civility and respect. There is time to sit with our children, trading glue sticks to create a hand decorated Christmas Tree. The Choir may never grace the Kennedy Center stage, but we all get to sing.
The Peace of the Lord be with you.
posted by dormgrandpop at 8:49 PM
1 Comments:
has something for everyone. Come on by and check it out soon Enjoy. :)
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