Advent Reflections
Compiled by Simone Finney
During the season of Advent, thoughts turn to the Son of God who came as a helpless infant. Nazarenes on the Eurasia Region live near that part of the world where the Savior made His entrance. Here, they share their memories and traditions of Christmas celebration.
Dawid Berdowski, church planter, Gdansk, Poland
Our ministry usually celebrates Christmas by doing special events such as a Christmas dinner, a crafting day (making decorations with the kids), and caroling a couple of days before Christmas Eve. At midnight on December 24, we usually join the traditional Polish "Pasterka" at the local Catholic Church as a sign to the community that we share the same faith in regards to the Incarnation.
Tatiana Cantarella, pastor, Moscow, Russia
We traditionally have a worship service on Christmas Eve, with special music and a Christmas play from the children. We try to use this service as an opportunity for outreach since Russians are more open to coming to church at Christmas. A couple of days after the service we also do a Christmas program for kids, typically called Yolka in Russian (Yolka means Christmas tree). We invite children from the neighborhood, from the nearby orphanage, and some with disabilities to this event. We have a Ded Moroz (Russian Santa) and his granddaughter Snegurochka who lead in songs and games, and then share a Christmas story. At the end, children receive gift boxes and photographs to remember the event.
Wolfgang Köhler, theology student, Hanau, Germany
On Christmas Eve, we have a family service at 4 P.M. In this service, the Christmas story is read, or acted out, from the Bible. Usually, the children are a part of that play or reading. We sing Christmas songs together, and after the sermon we light a candle for the last song, O du fröhliche. After the service, people wish each other merry Christmas, and the children urge their parents to leave, because it's time for presents. Another service takes place on Christmas Eve at 11 P.M. or later, which is more meditative, and then there is a service on Christmas morning.
Monica Boseff, pastor, Bucharest, Romania
My favorite Christmas story goes back to the revolution days in 1989. The former dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, and his wife were tried and executed on December 25 that year. Their people were puzzled and angry, shooting everything and everybody. I was at the emergency hospital in Bucharest where I had gone two days before, wanting to help in the best way I knew. Late at night, the lights had to be turned off for security reasons and we had to remain wherever we were in the hospital, in pitch darkness. Some were whispering, some were snoozing.
Suddenly, someone said "Hush. Listen-something's wrong!" We all froze. Then we realized someone was playing a radio. It was softly playing Christmas carols-something we had not heard in 18 years. We cried tears of joy.
Shahade Twal, pastor, Jordan
My church celebrates Christmas with a special church service. Every family in the church cooks and after the service we all have a big meal together. We also play games and usually there is a play from the Sunday School kids. I have many good memories from Christmas. One of them is when the choir from my church went to different hospitals and homes to sing Christmas songs. We were very happy that we could bring smiles to the faces of the patients in the hospital.
Arthur Snijders, district superintendent, Netherlands
Our first pastorate as a young couple took us from the Netherlands to England. We thought very little of the move, since we could speak English quite well and assumed that the Netherlands and England were very much alike. Then we were introduced to the British way of celebrating Christmas. Weeks in advance, rehearsals started for the nativity play of the Sunday School, including many children from the unchurched families in the neighborhood. We learned the secrets of the Christmas cake, which started months before the Christmas season and was much more than an ordinary cake to go along with a cup of tea-it was as nourishing as a meal. With all the busy preparations leading to Christmas, we were overwhelmed and realized more than ever that we were far away from our families where we weren't certain how we fit in in a very different country.
So we were deeply touched and pleasantly surprised when our church members showed that they had not forgotten about us. One by one they brought small gifts to put under the Christmas tree. The church family included us in a genuine Christian way. Remembering those days we realize how the love of Christ reached across nationalities and languages and made us feel part of the worship of Christ.
Swilen Simeonov, lay leader, Razgrad, Bulgaria
On Christmas Eve, our church usually holds a praise and worship service with a concert, songs, dramas, chorus, children's drama, gifts, fireworks, and so on. After the service everyone goes home to continue the evening with family. Then the youth meet at the church again around 11 P.M. for "Koleduvane," a Bulgarian folk tradition transformed for Christians. They visit Christian homes, where the host invites them in to sing Christmas songs and gives them cookies. The young people pray for the family, before continuing on to the next home.
Simone Finney served as the Eurasia Region Communications Coordinator.
Holiness Today, November/December 2008
Dawid Berdowski, church planter, Gdansk, Poland
Our ministry usually celebrates Christmas by doing special events such as a Christmas dinner, a crafting day (making decorations with the kids), and caroling a couple of days before Christmas Eve. At midnight on December 24, we usually join the traditional Polish "Pasterka" at the local Catholic Church as a sign to the community that we share the same faith in regards to the Incarnation.
Tatiana Cantarella, pastor, Moscow, Russia
We traditionally have a worship service on Christmas Eve, with special music and a Christmas play from the children. We try to use this service as an opportunity for outreach since Russians are more open to coming to church at Christmas. A couple of days after the service we also do a Christmas program for kids, typically called Yolka in Russian (Yolka means Christmas tree). We invite children from the neighborhood, from the nearby orphanage, and some with disabilities to this event. We have a Ded Moroz (Russian Santa) and his granddaughter Snegurochka who lead in songs and games, and then share a Christmas story. At the end, children receive gift boxes and photographs to remember the event.
Wolfgang Köhler, theology student, Hanau, Germany
On Christmas Eve, we have a family service at 4 P.M. In this service, the Christmas story is read, or acted out, from the Bible. Usually, the children are a part of that play or reading. We sing Christmas songs together, and after the sermon we light a candle for the last song, O du fröhliche. After the service, people wish each other merry Christmas, and the children urge their parents to leave, because it's time for presents. Another service takes place on Christmas Eve at 11 P.M. or later, which is more meditative, and then there is a service on Christmas morning.
Monica Boseff, pastor, Bucharest, Romania
My favorite Christmas story goes back to the revolution days in 1989. The former dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, and his wife were tried and executed on December 25 that year. Their people were puzzled and angry, shooting everything and everybody. I was at the emergency hospital in Bucharest where I had gone two days before, wanting to help in the best way I knew. Late at night, the lights had to be turned off for security reasons and we had to remain wherever we were in the hospital, in pitch darkness. Some were whispering, some were snoozing.
Suddenly, someone said "Hush. Listen-something's wrong!" We all froze. Then we realized someone was playing a radio. It was softly playing Christmas carols-something we had not heard in 18 years. We cried tears of joy.
Shahade Twal, pastor, Jordan
My church celebrates Christmas with a special church service. Every family in the church cooks and after the service we all have a big meal together. We also play games and usually there is a play from the Sunday School kids. I have many good memories from Christmas. One of them is when the choir from my church went to different hospitals and homes to sing Christmas songs. We were very happy that we could bring smiles to the faces of the patients in the hospital.
Arthur Snijders, district superintendent, Netherlands
Our first pastorate as a young couple took us from the Netherlands to England. We thought very little of the move, since we could speak English quite well and assumed that the Netherlands and England were very much alike. Then we were introduced to the British way of celebrating Christmas. Weeks in advance, rehearsals started for the nativity play of the Sunday School, including many children from the unchurched families in the neighborhood. We learned the secrets of the Christmas cake, which started months before the Christmas season and was much more than an ordinary cake to go along with a cup of tea-it was as nourishing as a meal. With all the busy preparations leading to Christmas, we were overwhelmed and realized more than ever that we were far away from our families where we weren't certain how we fit in in a very different country.
So we were deeply touched and pleasantly surprised when our church members showed that they had not forgotten about us. One by one they brought small gifts to put under the Christmas tree. The church family included us in a genuine Christian way. Remembering those days we realize how the love of Christ reached across nationalities and languages and made us feel part of the worship of Christ.
Swilen Simeonov, lay leader, Razgrad, Bulgaria
On Christmas Eve, our church usually holds a praise and worship service with a concert, songs, dramas, chorus, children's drama, gifts, fireworks, and so on. After the service everyone goes home to continue the evening with family. Then the youth meet at the church again around 11 P.M. for "Koleduvane," a Bulgarian folk tradition transformed for Christians. They visit Christian homes, where the host invites them in to sing Christmas songs and gives them cookies. The young people pray for the family, before continuing on to the next home.
Simone Finney served as the Eurasia Region Communications Coordinator.
Holiness Today, November/December 2008