The First Baptist Church of Redlands
TA PE S T RY Woven Together In Love: Colossians 2:2
DECEMBER 2015
ISSUE No. 12
A MESSAGE FROM PASTOR RICHARD
Advent in Redlands It is the Advent season and I feel blessed to be here in Redlands at FBCR again this year. Last year was so delightful. The special services beginning with the “Hanging of the Greens”, followed by the Advent readings and special music in the worship services, the delightful Children and Youth Worship Service, the Christmas Cantata by our Worship Choir and the beautiful Christmas Eve Candlelight Service made it a Christmas season that I will long remember. Also adding to the festivities was the fun Polar Express Movie Party. I actually had my picture taken with Santa Claus, a first. However, the observance of Las Posadas was a new event to me. I found it an enjoyable experience but more important, a spiritual experience, so much so that I wanted to learn more about it. In doing some reading about Las Posadas I learned that although it originated in Spain, it has been an Advent tradition in Mexico for more than 400 years. There, Las Posadas lasts for nine days before Christmas, symbolizing the nine months when Mary carried Jesus in her womb. To enact Las Posadas, individuals are cast as Mary and Joseph and they travel on a live burro, representing
the holy family. Nine homes of parish family members are singled out as the host (or non- host) for nine nights. Theses homes represent nine posadas or inns and for each night they take their turn as the inn that turns away the traveling trio. The rest of the parish follows these representatives on their journey, singing hymns, witnessing the long journey of Mary and Joseph as they seek shelter on their way to Bethlehem. On the last night, Mary and Joseph and the burro find acceptance and rest at the final house on the list. It is in this posada (inn) that the holy family finds a crib in the form of a manger prepared for the birth of the holy child. Many churches and communities in the Southwest have, as has Redlands, adopted the Las Posadas tradition. However, as a newcomer, I was moved by the somberness turning to great joy and festiveness when Mary and Joseph found hospitality. Experiencing the joy reminded of me of the joy that we experience when we reach out to someone in need and extend to that person the love of Christ by caring and doing something about it. In a book, Seasons of Grace, the authors report that St. Francis
of Assisi said that he found in the humble birth of Jesus a touching image of God’s hospitality. ”God the universal host, thought Francis, came as a vulnerable guest into the world. He saw the crib in the stable as a sign of God embracing povertyboth the literal poor and the poverty of spirit that makes us realize we are, finally, as vulnerable as any baby. We too are guests just passing through and we are called to be hosts to each other.” “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to the least of one of these Who are members of my family, you have done it to me.” -Matthew 25:40 I hope you will join us here at First Baptist Church of Redlands for our Advent and Christmas events. I know you will be blessed. Have a blessed Advent season,
Richard