RECAP
We celebrated Jesus' birth with carols and candles like usual, but we also focused on grace. It was painted in a theme of snow. Winter snow makes the drab, dull, dead beautiful again. Jesus came like the winter snow, to be born, to live, to die for our sins - to cover us with his grace - to make our lives beautiful again.
GATHERING ELEMENTS
Scripture Reading/Paraphrase over this Chalk Art Video
Carols & Candles
Special Song: Winter Snow
Story: No Snow in Christmastown
Snow Falling at end of the service
VIDEOS
God of your iPod Promo
Christmas Project Recap
Candlelighting Instructions
SONGS
Born in Bethlehem - Third Day
Carols: Some spiced up, some traditional...O Come All Ye Faithful, Angels We Have Heard on High, Silent Night, O Holy Night, Joy to the World
O The Glory of it All - David Crowder Band
Winter Snow - Audrey Assad/Chris Tomlin
THOUGHTS
-I thought it was cool that people came in through the tunnel of lights with carolers outside. I didn't think it was cool that everyone had to skate in...I didn't hear of anyone falling but man it was icy. It took me like 20 minutes to scrap my car.
- A big thanks to everyone who served at the service and helped set up things ahead of time.
- The Big Deal: No Seats. Our survey on the 1st Sunday of December had us at like 270. A few more people said they didn't sign up and were coming. We figured some would come, some wouldn't so maybe we'd have like 320 or so. Better to have one full than two half full. The last couple years we've had about half our regular attendance because so many people have family things....well, we ended up with almost 430. It was exciting and crazy.
- That many people changes things...like the sound - we had to push the system because all the bodies were sucking up the sound and lots of rustling with so many people in the room. It also changed the snow. We tested the snow multiple times. It would go up and fill like the whole front half of the auditorium - at the gathering there was like dead air and it didn't go anywhere. Oh well. I was a little disappointed. Sorry to Jason who got blasted.
- I wrote that Story with the staff - No Snow in Christmastown. Then Lea Bolthouse drew the awesome pictures and I had Emma color them. That was fun.
- Band was kicking it - Steph crushes O Holy Night - amazing.
- We keep things more traditional on Christmas Eve than normal. The candles are pretty cool.
- Thanks to the Haase for trying to keep up at coffee bar and for Lea who came in to work the computer even though she didn't feel good. There are a ton of other people to thank, like on a regular basis - we have a lot of talented volunteers who make the Journey great.
- Favorite moment: Journeyers fighting over who gets to stand. No, I will stand. Take our seats. No we are good. No we're gonna stand...funny. Awesome how generous you guys are!!!!!
- We showed the January promo and the Christmas Project Recap too - I will post them later.
- I was whipped by the end of the night.
GREAT NIGHT - CRAZY NIGHT
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