PCJH Quarterly Newsletter, Winter 2023 VOL 18

In this winter Pinnacle edition, we will be reflecting on a few Christmas hymns and songs to discover the history and original context behind the songs as well as their meaning for us today. In the following pages our fellow PCJH members will be sharing some wonderful insights and personal reflections about these musical delights. Our hope is that this edition of the Pinnacle will draw you closer to the Lord and will inspire you this Christmas season. “… be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” u Ephesians 5:18b-20

Songs of Joy

tH e C H r I stmas m O v I e, eL f, starr I ng Will ferrell, is by far the most popular Christmas movie in the Pascal household. Buddy the elf tries to save his father from the naughty list by spreading the Christmas spirit in new York City and beyond. He says repeatedly throughout the film, “the best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear!” When people start singing, the Christmas spirit meter goes off the charts and people’s hearts are changed. the message in the movie speaks to the truth that music has a way of capturing our hearts and inspiring us in all aspects of life.

Perhaps you don’t feel like singing this Christmas. Perhaps the idea of bursting forth into songs of joy doesn’t feel possible in the midst of the stress and challenges of your life and the life of the world. Christmas is not always a joyful time, as many of us face some sort of crisis or trouble in our lives. It may be that we are grieving the death of a loved one; adjusting to the heartbreak of a divorce; suffering from a physical or mental illness; struggling with loneliness or

family strife; overwhelmed by stress, busyness, or financial pressures… and the list goes on.

I believe the adversary (satan) wants to rob us of our joy. I would like to encourage you with a few passages of scripture that remind us of the joy that can be found even in the midst of struggle. In John 16:22 Jesus says, “so with you: now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” Psalm 94:19 says, “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” James 1:2-3 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Psalm 30:5 says, “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

Let’s put the joy back in Christmas! romans 12:12 says, “Be joyful in hope…”. Psalm 118:24 says, “this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” nehemiah 8:10 says, “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Philippians 4:4 says, “rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: rejoice!” C.s. Lewis wrote, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” Henri nouwen said, “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” robert Louis stevenson wrote, “find out where joy resides, and give it a voice far beyond singing. for to miss the joy is to miss all.” an unknown author said, “Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of god.”

In Isaiah 52 and Psalm 98 there is a beautiful set of words (“Bursting forth into songs of joy!”) which illustrate what happens when we recognize god’s presence in our lives. the definition of “burst” is to issue forth suddenly and forcibly, as from confinement. to give sudden expression to. to be extremely full, as if ready to break open. to appear suddenly; become visible, audible, evident, all at once. examples of “bursting” are the phrase, “bursting at the seams”; or a water pipe bursting; or feeling like you are going to burst after a big meal. When something is about to burst, it is because it can no longer contain whatever it is holding in.

the Hebrew word used in Psalm 98 is patsach (paw-tsakh), which means “break forth into joy, make a loud noise.” What is a modern-day example of this bursting forth into songs of joy? a flash mob, of course. : ) may Christians be known for our songs of joy despite the circumstances of life. Psalm 65:8 says, “Where morning dawns and evening fades the Lord calls forth songs of joy.”

Our faith must be sung! It’s not just spoken word. Can you imagine church without singing? It would just be a

~ r ev. Ben Pascal

meeting. Other than church, there aren’t a lot of places we go to sing with people. It’s always been like this; from Judah in genesis 4, to moses and miriam, King David’s songs, through the Psalms, Zechariah, mary the mother of Jesus, the angels at Christ’s birth, and later martin Luther to Charles Wesley to Handel to amy grant to Chris tomlin to Lauren Daigle, and finally right down to us… the people of god must sing the faith… may we be bursting with this good news!

I am going to reflect on the Christmas hymn, Joy to the World, written by Isaac Watts in 1719, and inspired by Psalm 98. Joy to the World wasn’t originally written for Christmas. the hymn isn’t about Christ’s first coming, but about his triumphant second coming. In 1742 george frederick Handel put it to the melody we know of today, less than 300 years ago. Psalm 98 is a psalm of joy and victory. It ties in with Isaiah 52 in that what the prophecy foresaw, the psalm declares. Psalm 98 is a response to the crisis of the Jewish exile in Babylon and declares that god has pulled through! god is faithful!

the first part of the psalm (v.1-3) is an invitation to praise the Lord. “sing to the Lord a new song!” Why? for he has done marvelous things! god has brought salvation to the world. god’s strength and justice have prevailed. the Lord cares for people of all nations. His love and faithfulness continue no matter what. the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our god in tangible ways. We are invited to praise god for what god has done in our lives and the life off the world.

Lord. Let the rushing rivers and waterfalls clap their hands in praise to the Lord. Let the mountains in all their majesty sing together for joy. for god will come to judge with righteousness and equity. god’s righteousness and justice are a good thing for all of creation.

P s a l m

In a world with chaos knocking at the door, this promise brings us hope. Psalm 98 is a beautiful song of joy to the world. Did you know the psalms were meant to be sung? Whenever you hear or read Psalm 98, I hope it makes you think of the hymn, Joy to the World. Christmas is a time of music and singing. We see in Luke 2:8-20 the singing and joy of those who encountered Jesus at his birth. In eugene Peterson’s, the message, mary says, “I’m bursting with god-news! I’m dancing the song of my savior god.” the shepherds in the fields were amazed and overwhelmed as the glory of the Lord shone around them and angels said, “I bring you good news of great JOY that will be for all the people. today in the town of David a savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising god and [singing], “glory to god in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” We see in Luke’s birth narrative the angels and shepherds glorifying and praising god, for Jesus is born!

the second part (v.4-6) calls people from all over the earth to praise the Lord. to shout for joy from Jackson to Istanbul, from Kigali to Bangkok, from sydney to Lisbon. to burst into songs that makes us dance and sing. to make music to the Lord with all kinds of instruments. to shout for joy! to make a joyful noise! We are called to sing our faith. the third part (v.7-9) is a call for all of creation to praise the Lord. Let the roar of the ocean waves praise the Lord, and all the fish in the sea. Let the world, and all who live in it praise the

We are bursting with the god-news that in Jesus Christ, god has reconciled the world to himself, overcoming sin and the power of death. We sing in resistance to the death and injustice of the world. regardless of what may be happening in our personal lives and in the life of the world, may the Holy spirit cause you to burst forth with songs of joy this Christmas.

rEV. BEN PASCAL

"For me, it is through music that my faith is better demonstrated. Singing a song like this gives me permission to feel closer to God and to also share it with the other people that I'm singing with.”

Q

A inteRview with lauRa huckin

~ r ev. tammy Mitchell

ABOVE: LAurA HuCkIN PCJH PrAISE & WOrSHIP COOrDINATOr, POSTurING WITH rEV. TAMMY MITCHELL. photo: beth RicciaRdi

tammy: As a professional musician, you are familiar with countless Christmas songs, hymns, and carols. Does any particular one stand out for you?

lauRa: this is such a difficult question because of my background. so many people can handle Christmas music for only a few short weeks, after which they tire from hearing it. I personally embrace Christmas and love spending time exploring the songs and their history and meaning. the music brings to the surface so many wonderful memories. I struggled, to be honest, with trying to pick something. However, one did come to mind that I have really fond memories of singing when I was in high school. the song I chose is “O magnum mysterium” by tomas Luis de victoria (c.1548-1611).

tm: When were you first introduced to the song? lh: When I first saw the song, I didn't know anything about it. I was in high school, in a chamber choir, and our choir director pulled it out for a Christmas concert. Of course, you know in high school, your choir director makes sure you hit the classics. I had a fantastic choir director and am still in touch with him today. He was such an inspiration for me musically. I remember singing this song with that choir group. It was acapella, meaning the voice has no accompaniment, no piano. It’s a beautiful piece with the text in Latin. It has this amazing mystical quality to it. It begins in a minor key and kind of stays there almost the entire song until it ends in this beautiful major cadence. It’s as if the majority of the song is anticipating the hopeful and joyful ending. to me, the harmonies and the dissonance in that minor mode just really drew (and draws) me into the piece.

tm: What do you know about the composer and the song? lh: victoria was a spanish renaissance composer who spent a great deal of time at the german College in rome. at an early age, he was an accomplished organist. In rome, he studied with Palestrina, who is a well-known polyphonic composer of the 16th century. some historians believe victoria is one of the most significant composers of sacred music in the late renaissance. He dedicated his life to writing sacred music.

tm: Why is this song so meaningful to you?

lh: there is something about the way it was written. One hears these beautiful haunting sounds and every line is carefully composed. each part has a turn around the melody. It begins with the sopranos singing, and before you realize what is happening, the altos move in. and then, they go up from that fifth of a little minor 2nd and suddenly you get a sense that this is not your average piece of music. soon some beautiful low notes enter, then the tenors come in and then finally the bassess. then everyone breathes and you experience beautiful harmony for the first time. However, the song keeps

pulling away and taking the text in a different direction, so it never feels completely resolved until the end.

It's not like the sopranos are singing the melody and everyone is just supporting the sopranos. each part has their moments where they kind of rise to the surface and then fall back into the song. there is something about the song that demands everyone to really pay attention to the other parts, in order to sing it successfully. In some ways, group singing is a microcosm of how we live our lives. We have to learn to be independent, learn our own part. But to do it well, we also need to listen and pay attention and respond to others. We have to trust them, and be forgiving when someone makes mistakes. But when you're living (or singing) in harmony with others, it feels amazing! I didn't really pay attention to the complexities of the text right at first, but I definitely got this feeling from the music of the mystery and the majesty of the song.

tm: The lyrics are really special. lh: I can feel something of substance through the lyrics: “o great mystery and wonderful sacrament.” the lyrics reflect the mystery of the event of Chris being born. Christ’s birth is such a powerful mystery and the song has such a reverent quality to it. It doesn't split into 8 or 10 parts - there are no “Whittacre chords” - clusters of notes stacked on top of each other. the music of victoria’s day was very complex and very busy and he purposely stripped some of that away to keep the movement of his music fluid. We have to remember that back then, they were not surrounded by music at all times, like we are today. We can only imagine what it feels like to write a song and then hand it to singers to sing for the very first time. tm: How has this piece of Christmas music touched your own faith and heart? lh: I've never been one who easily expresses my own faith, what I feel and believe in words. for me, it is through music that my faith is better demonstrated. singing a song like this gives me permission to feel closer to god and to also share it with the other people that I'm singing with. for those that are listening, it's my way to share my faith. Like the song, I feel faith holds a great deal of mystery that I am trying to discover. the song reflects that there are moments of knowing and believing. and even in the moments of doubt, in the end, you sense that connection to god and you are not alone. music is a portal that opens me up and connects me to god, to know that He's there for me. the full song can be viewed on Youtube by google search —"victoria - O magnum mysterium" ✝

rEV. TAMArA MITCHELL

Serves as PCJH Associate Pastor. She has two married daughters, and a dog named Charlie.

The Hallelujah Chorus

~ Kraig Kobert

ge O rge f r ID er ICK Han D e L’s C r OW n I ng achievement, messiah, was a complete 260-page oratorio, and contained among many other familiar pieces, the most famous piece the “Hallelujah Chorus.” the complete work for the messiah took Handel just 24 days to compose. Having started on august 22, 1741, he finished the final orchestration on september 14th.

Handel composed the entire messiah without getting much sleep or even eating much food. When his assistants brought him his meals, they were often left uneaten. His servants would often find him in tears as he composed. When he completed “Hallelujah,” he reportedly told his servant, “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great god Himself seated on His throne, with His company of angels.”

Just a few months earlier, it had seemed that Handel’s career was over, and he may be forced to go to debtors’ prison. Handel was heavily in debt following a string of musical failures. then, two key events changed the course of Handel’s life and the landscape of music forever. first, his friend Charles Jennens wrote a libretto taken from the Bible, based on the life of Jesus Christ, and gave it to Handel. then, Handel was given funding by a group of charities from Dublin, Ireland, to

kRaig kobeRt has been a member of the church and the PCJH choir for over 20 fulfilling years.

compose a new work for a benefit performance that would help free men from debtors’ prison.

although the first performance in Dublin on april 13, 1742, was a huge success, the messiah wasn’t met with the same excitement in London the following season. However, during the performance of the “Hallelujah Chorus” on march 23, 1743, King george II stood up. no one knows for sure why he stood, and he never explained his actions. the most popular explanation is that he was so “overcome by emotion” that he felt compelled to stand.

the people also stood with King george at that moment. Whether they stood because england’s king rose, or because the presence of the King of kings was evident in the scriptures being sung. many think they stood together in solidarity at that moment as subjects of a “greater King.”

Why the King chose to stand just then may be rooted in the very specific lyrics of the chorus, particularly the words from revelation 19: for the Lord god Omnipotent reigneth. the kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; King of kings, and Lord of lords, King of kings, and Lord of lords… this tradition has endured even though many failed to understand what would have motivated the english king to stand at that particular moment in that particular performance.

for that reason, we all should stand whenever the “King of kings and Lord of lords” is sung and our god’s presence is announced during the singing of “the Hallelujah Chorus.” ✝

rise up Shepherd and Follow

~ Danny Weber

it I s a s I m PL e s O ng, a s OO t HI ng s O ng and it rolls a beautiful melody. Like so many Christmas tunes, the instrumental varieties are as warming as the lyrical sidings. from vanessa Williams to Wynton marsalis with the Lincoln Center Orchestra, ‘rise Up shepherd and follow’ has come to our ears and hearts in a plethora of flavors. ‘rise Up shepherd and follow’ first came to my attention when the PCJH choir performed the piece in recent years.

the origins of this song are not as well documented as some of the other Christmas classics but, the roots of it are steeped with tradition none the less. the song is considered an african american spiritual with its genesis dating back to the reconstruction era. the first known publication of the songs lyrics came in text form inside a short story published in Lippincott’s monthly magazine in 1891, written by ruth mcenery stuart. the short story lays out a scene where the enslaved workers are taking part in a Christmas celebration hosted by a family on a Louisiana plantation and two of the characters in the story begin singing the spiritual “rise Up, shepherd and follow”. the well-known abolitionist fredrick Douglas noted that on some plantations in the south, the enslaved workers were given some reprieve from their labors during the period between Christmas and the new year and they took this time to celebrate. these celebrations incorporated singing, dancing, playing games and other merriments. It is likely that this song evolved from such celebrations. It is very hard to imagine what the Christmas season looked like under the shrouds of slavery.

the call and response style of this song is similar to other african american spirituals. In ‘rise up shepherd and follows foundational format, each stanza focuses on different calls, or directions provided by the angel gabriel in the Christmas story in the gospels. for example, there is instruction on what direction to go. “there is a star in the east on Christmas morn”, instruction on what one will find. “It will lead you to the place where the savior’s born” and “In a cradle of straw is a babe asleep”. Later verses parallel these instructions with

metaphors. the second verse suggest that the shepherds “Leave your ewes and leave your rams”. In a subsequent verse, the ewes and rams are substituted by our burdens. “Leave your burdens, lay them down”. also, in-line with african spirituals these stanzas have offered room for improvisation throughout the song's history. multiple generations have used this song as a conduit to healing through spiritual and emotional expression. this provides another unique layer to its legacy. Challenge yourself to plug in your own call and response verse using the “rise up shepherd and follow” as the response.

Where this song tugs at my heart is in the simple reminder that we as sinful humans often try to fill voids in our souls with busying ourselves, or getting wrapped up in our materialistic world; when what we really need is to seek out savior! this song encourages us to drop what we are doing and follow the signs that the angle use to guide us towards our savior.

In many of the variations of the song, a meditative quality is offered through a slow tempo that lets the call and response melt together with the melody. In the next month, whether you’re warming yourself by the fire or driving in your car and you have the chance to work this song into the rotation, relish in its simple message. Let it be a reminder that people all over the world, whether living in prosperity or poverty, are in need of the message that gOD gave us his one and only son, Jesus Christ, as a gift of mercy and forgiveness. We must seek it out and fOLLOW. this song was conceived in the time of slavery, let it also be a reminder that Christ is the only true redeemer to release us all from captivity (of sin), which is similar to many of the advent songs that express a yearning for the messiah to set us free. ✝

danny webeR started attending PCJH in 2008 and joined the Praise Band in 2016 and has felt blessed to make music with PCJH's assortment of musicians.

silent night

one Of tHe mOst BeaUtIfUL sOngs tHat Is sung at Christmas is "silent night." It’s very origins are humble in nature; thereby only adding to its immense meaning and sentiment for many. for centuries, the tune was attributed to such famous composers as Haydn, mozart, and Beethoven; as no original manuscript of the music was in circulation, the song’s actual author could not be identified.

However, as is more-often-than-not the case, almost accidentally an original manuscript was eventually found, and the author and composer were disclosed to the world. amazingly, the composer, franz Xavier gruber, came from humble beginnings; gruber was nothing more than a simple schoolteacher who also served as the church organist/choir director in a small austrian village. the words to ‘silent night’ (originally written in their native german language, stille nacht’), are attributed to a young Catholic priest, John mohr. Whether, or not, mohr’s lyrics were actually inspired by walks he regularly took through the wintry austrian mountainside near his home, his poetic lines depict a magnificent – and vivid – ‘portrait’ of that first Christmas eve, when our Lord was born. How much further away from the actual birthplace could the authors of the song have lived; and how different the surroundings. Yet, how simple and beautiful the

melody; and, how splendid the poetic imagery. Holistically, how warmly ‘silent night’ touches our hearts – every year, as it has done throughout the ages.

On Christmas eve, 1818, gruber and mohr first performed ‘stille nacht, Heilige nacht’ (silent night, Holy night) for the small congregation at their village’s church. as the church organ was in need of repair, gruber first wrote the music for guitar. for their debut performance, gruber played the guitar, while mohr sang. an organ builder and repairman, working at the church, took a copy of the six-verse song to his home village.

there, it was picked up and spread by two families of traveling folk singers, who performed around northern europe. In 1834, the strasser family performed it for the King of Prussia. In 1839, the rainer family of singers debuted the carol outside trinity Church in new York City.  the composition evolved, and it was translated into over 300 languages, with many different arrangements, for various voices and ensembles. the song has been played and sung in churches, in town squares, even on the battlefield during World War I, when, during a temporary truce on Christmas eve, soldiers sang carols from home. "silent night," by 1914, known around the world, was sung, simultaneously, in french, german, and english. from humble beginnings, yet, having global impact. for all of the reasons presented within this short essay - and then some – the magnificence of "silent night" shall always hold a special place in my heart (source: the story Behind the Beloved Christmas Carol "silent night"). ✝

PrOF. ErIC VAN GENDErEN is a member of PCJH and enjoys spending time with his wife Natalia and son EJ.

O Holy Night

Melissa e lliott

it H as B e CO me a LI tt L e tra DI t IO n WI t H myself that every year on an evening in December, I will dust the snow off of my car and take a drive around the neighborhoods to look at Christmas lights with the heat on high, playing mariah Carey’s 1994 album “merry Christmas” at (almost) full volume. after belting my heart out to the second track, “all I Want for Christmas is You,” I take a breath and listen to song number three - “O Holy night.” By this time, the cab of my car is pleasantly warm and the lights on the houses seem to sparkle a little brighter. my speakers offer the surround sound of a gospel choir, church organ, and mariah Carey’s voice piercing through the atmosphere. When she flips into her falsetto on the final “divine,” I have to pull over because at this point I am undoubtedly in tears. there is something about mariah Carey’s gospel version of “O Holy night” that moves me so deeply, yet even when I sing it in its hymnal form on Christmas eve I can’t help but get misty eyed. the original composition has a 6/8 feel with an arpeggiated accompanying melody, creating a gentle swaying sensation, like rocking a newborn baby. the melody builds like you’re climbing up a mountain, the peak of the song happening at the lyrics “divine,” “King”, and “power and glory.” the first two verses of the song tell of the events that transpired in the Christmas story and the third verse (my favorite verse) encapsulates the message of Jesus’ life - “truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and his gospel is peace.” the origins of “O Holy night” come from roquemaure, france in 1843, where a parish priest asked poet Placide Cappeau to write a Christmas poem to celebrate the

renovation of the church’s organ. Cappeau’s poem “minuit, chrétiens” was put to music by composer adolphe adam, and“Cantique de noel” premiered on that sparkly new organ at a midnight mass just a few weeks later. the song grew in popularity and was sung throughout france, europe, and eventually reached the americas where Unitarian minister John sullivan Dwight translated and adapted it into english in 1855. “O Holy night” was an international smash hit, but the creators didn’t even celebrate Christmas! adolphe adam was Jewish and Placide Cappeau was an atheist. When the church learned this information they considered the song unfit for services and banned the song from being sung in churches.

Over in america, John sullivan Dwight was translating the song to english. Dwight was an abolitionist who deeply resonated with that third verse I mentioned earlier - “Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother; and in his name all oppression shall cease.” He published his version of “O Holy night” and it became a song of hope and peace during the american Civil War in the fight for freedom for enslaved people

Back in france, people were singing “Cantique de noel” quietly in their homes because it was still banned from mass. Legend has it that on Christmas eve of 1871 in a lull in battle during the franco-Prussian war, french soldiers began singing “Cantique de noel” from the trenches. the opposing german army heard their song and responded with a song by martin Luther. allegedly, all battle ceased for 24-hours so soldiers could celebrate Christmas, putting “O Holy night” out of exile and back to midnight masses in france.

Prior to writing this, my Christmas time car-rides melting to miss Carey’s whistle tones was all I knew about “O Holy night.” I’m surprised and curious about its deep and complicated history (side note and fun fact: it was the first song to ever be played on radio airwaves!). I think the song's escalating melody, inspiring lyrics, and its historical significance is the perfect message of Christmas—a message to treat one another with love and respect. the love of Christ transcends all race, gender, religion, nationality, status… so we must choose to live in peace and allow for the love of Christ to flow through us each and every day of the year.

“Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we Let all within us Praise His holy name Christ is the Lord; O praise his name forever! His power and glory evermore proclaim.”

~

melissa elliott is a singer, songwriter, and music teacher born and raised in Jackson Hole.

The Little Drummer Boy

tH e L I tt L e Dr U mmer B OY ( O r I g I na LLY known as the Carol of the Drum) was written by Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. ms. Davis was an american composer who graduated from Wellesley College and taught music at Concord academy in Concord, massachusetts. she also studied at the new england Conservatory of music. When she died in 1980 she left all the royalties and proceeds from her compositions to Wellesley College’s music department, which were used to support students studying performance. the carol was first recorded by the trapp family in 1951. Yes, the same family that escaped from austria depicted in the movie "the sound of music".

caRol poole lives in Wilson with her husband, Steve, and her cat, Hyatt. She enjoys many musical genres, and loves to sing in the choir.

a cherished childhood memory of mine is listening to Christmas music played all day on my parent’s stereo, starting right after thanksgiving up until and through Christmas Day. my mom would stack eight or more albums to be dropped one by one onto the turntable as each previous one finished. "the Little Drummer Boy", sung by Bing Crosby, was one of my favorites because it is the nativity story told through the eyes of a child. I have come to love it even more for its imagery, symbolism and beat. the image of this little boy and his drum in the manger playing his best for Jesus is just so heartwarming. and the little bit of humor interspersed as “the ox and lamb kept time” was and is one of my favorite lines. I look at his questioning of his gift being “fit for a king” as symbolic of our questioning our own giving of time, talents and treasures as good enough. “I played my best for Him”, the drummer boy says. “then He smiled at me, “ showing that god is pleased when we are generous with our hearts. and finally, the beat catches my attention because it is steady, like a heartbeat. and it reminds me of god beckoning me to “Come”. ✝

~ Carol Poole

ILL BE

HOME FOR

CHRISTMAS

~ Cindy Dahlin

m

Y fat H er en LI ste D I n t H e Un I te D states army air Corps at the onset of World War II as a 19 year old and served through the end of the war, achieving the rank as first Lieutenant. His entire life he proclaimed that those were the best years of his life. this well-known Christmas song was recorded by Bing Crosby (aka: my father’s look alike). We have a theme of favorite Christmas songs going on here! the song was written by Walter Kent, composer, and Kim gannon, lyricist in 1943 to honor soldiers overseas who longed to be home stateside at Christmastime. It was written from the point of view of a soldier writing to his family and to prepare for that return with snow and mistletoe and presents under the tree. the song ends with a melancholy lyric of “if only in my dreams”p

How many families and soldiers must have felt those sentiments during those years of war and separation? How many families and soldiers didn’t yearn for the Price of Peace and message that he brought to the world? How blessed so many of us have been to live and raise our families during peacetime? Christmastime brings us the hope of peace in scripture and in song. Whenever I hear this song, I am always reminded of the blessing I have of peace in Christ and the hope of peace for the world.

as Christians we also can have our own spiritual peace through Christ. god sent Jesus, his only son, so that we can experience peace within ourselves, peace with each other and peace with god. He desires for everyone to have perfect peace. “for He Himself is our peace, … and He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near” (ephesians 2:14-17).

Jesus said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me” (John 16:33). to have peace, you must know the One who can give it.

my family was, and is, grounded in Christmas traditions… thousands. I am incredibly thankful that my parents exposed me to messages of Christmastime from years gone by. they keep me grounded in the love for my family and remind me of how richly I have been blessed.

Our house was adorned with silver bells during Christmas. silver bells hanging from the doorways; silver bell Christmas cards; silver bell napkins, silver bell ornaments on the tree. It was my parents’ trademark.

the song was composed by ray evans and Jay Livingston and released in 1951. It focused on the imagery of Christmas in the city vs. a more common rural theme for the holiday season. It was to depict the salvation army volunteers ringing their ‘silver bells’ and the black kettles for giving to the needy. they originally wrote the song for the movie “Lemon Drop Kid” starring Bob Hope and marilyn maxwell. they were reluctant to write the song at first since new Christmas songs rarely made it to the hit list. their song writing contracts were due and they were fearful of producing yet another flop in the music industry. It is rumored that the original inspiration for the Christmas song, “silver Bells” was a tiny bell that Livingston and evans had on their work desk.

the song became a huge hit and originally recorded by Bing Crosby and Carol richards. It also secured the future of Livingston and evans at Paramount pictures.

today, Christians ring bells to announce worship; or proclaiming newness; or freedom and victory; or joyful events such as weddings. Bells are symbol of clarity and joy.

Isaiah, the prophet, had a great vision. He rang heaven’s bells saying “His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the mighty god, the everlasting father, the Prince of Peace. “(Isaiah 9:6) . ✝

cindy dahlin hasn't crossed paths with a Christmas song she didn't like. She is a PCJH original charter member and staff. She and husband Jeff Dahlin now have 21 family members and counting...

~ pcj h b irthd Ays / A nnivers A ries

januaRy

01 Macye Maher 03 David & Marian Meyers (41) Daniel & elizabeth Hennessey(42) 05 Tiffany Tate Mike Jones 06 Linda Hanlon Brad Herman 07 Brian remlinger 08 ralph Hudelson Michael Massie Pastor Tammy Mitchell karin unruh 11 Jennifer Baki Sue Bybee 12 Ingrid Watsabaugh 13 Donna Clark 14 Tom Jordan Bill Neal 15 Liz Collins Pam Flores Therese Metherel John and linda Hanlon (22) 25 Bob kopp 28 Effie Edwards 29 Patrick McGaugh

forth into songs

Pastoral Staff

Rev. Ben Pascal bpascal@pcjh.org senior Pastor x 101

Rev. Tammy Mitchell tmitchell@pcjh.org associate Pastor x 104

Office Staff

Brian Bultema bbultema@pcjh.org Church administrator x109

Cindy Dahlin cdahlin@pcjh.org Church administrator assistant x107

Ally Kiefer akiefer@pcjh.org Communications Coordinator x102

Program Staff

Laura Huckin huckin@silverstar.net worship & Music Coordinator x123

Amanda Lack alack@pcjh.org little lambs Director x111 Preston Gordon pgordon@pcjh.org Interim Children’s Ministry Coordinator x103

Megan Walker mwalker@pcjh.org youth & young adult Ministry Coordinator x124

Ruling Elders

Clerk of session: Ken Blount Class of 2023 Caryn Haman adult Ministry Josh Ziolkowski young adult Ministry Alan Lund Personnel

Patty McDonald assimilation & Nomination

2024 Wes Lucas* stewardship Steve Iobst* Buildings, Grounds & Vehicles Marian Meyers youth Ministry

2025 Sarah Romorini Mission Trent Doyle Children’s Ministry Tiffany Tate Congregational life John Scott Finance

teaching elders: rev. Ben Pascal & rev. tamara Mitchell

Deacons

Class of 2023 Michael Schrotz* Ponteir Sackery Brian Bultima Sandra Guido Fernandez

Class of 2024 Lori Dodd* Brad Herman* Joy Steiner* Tom Segerstrom

*Serving second term

Class of 2025 Cameron Page Dorothy Neckels* Catherine Wade* Sierra Fulton*

bRian bultema / chuRch administRatoR

Hello PCJH family! my name is Brian Bultema, and it's such a privilege to have recently joined the PCJH staff as church administrator. growing up mostly in northern nevada in a dedicated Christian family, my parents taught me and my three siblings about god's love from an early age. Of course, like many kids in Christian homes, my faith didn't become my own until my later teenage years. my family moved from nevada in 2002 to northwest Indiana where I finished high school and got a journalism degree from Purdue University northwest. after my sophomore year of college, two church friends excitedly recounted their experiences with a Christian ministry in the national Parks (aCmnP) in a place called Jackson Hole. I immediately applied and had several incredible summers working and doing ministry at Jackson Lake Lodge. after graduating in 2009, I stayed in Jackson Hole and have mostly worked in hotel management over the years. my wife sandra came into my life in 2012 and we married in 2016. We both share a love for PCJH and the work our church does in reaching out to the Jackson community. I feel incredibly grateful to be joining the staff for the church I've cherished for over 10 years!

If I had to choose, one of my favorite Christmas songs would undoubtedly be 'O Holy night.' I remember only hearing this song later in life, and the wonder, reverence, and grandeur of this song sweeps over me in a new way each time I hear it.

pReston goRdon / inteRim childRen's ministRy

greetings PCJH. I’m Preston and I’m serving as the interim children ministry director. god has gifted me everything I have: adoption into his family and blessing as His son. I’m also given the honor of being married to Deanna and father to elliott & anderson. I’m a pastor, and I love seeing how god’s Word meets my own life and the lives of all of us. I love reading, playing outside, sharing food around a table. We do our best to live an unhurried life. I sum all this up in 3 words I need everyday: Oxygen. grace. godspeed.

my favorite Christmas song is actually an advent song: O Come, O Come emmanuel. Distinct from Christmas when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, advent is about waiting. Waiting for the celebration of Christ’s birth, but also waiting for his return today.

the Biblical understanding of Jesus as “Immanuel” — god with us — from Isaiah 7 is about god coming in judgment. the cry for Immanuel to come gives words to a deep Christian longing: for god to come as judge, to come and make things right in our world, to come and bring justice. the somber tone and yearning of the melody in this ancient hymn strikes a deep chord with me each December. short days, Christmas advertising, and woefully empty secular attempts for hope around the holidays often push me to despair. more than anything I need to cry out, “O come, O come emmanuel!” Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.

megan walkeR / youth & young adult cooRdinatoR

I’m so excited for my first Christmas here! I grew up just south of seattle and before pursuing higher education spent several years in local ministry and international missions through YWam (Youth With a mission). I moved to Jackson from spokane, Washington where I was for 6 years, working in youth ministry and studying at Whitworth University. Hiking, cheeseburgers, being by the water, dogs, and music are some of my favorite things!

my favorite carol to sing with the church family is “O Come Let Us adore Him.” Whether feeling the joy of the season, feeling heavy or stagnant during this annual remembrance, I am always moved by the simplicity and meditative repetition of this song. this carol is also woven throughout my favorite Christmas tracks on, “the Oh Hellos’ family Christmas album.” these songs are compilations of traditional Christmas carols arranged with an array of instruments, voices, and key changes. I’ve always connected with songs more through their music than their lyrics. similarly, I sometimes find that I meaningfully adore the Lord in ways other than with words. Let us adore Jesus Christ, our Lord, together!

PHOTO: PCJH pageant angels swirling and bursting with Joy!