Last night was our All church Christmas party. It was fun.
We started out with Christmas music in the background as each was greeted by Pastor or myself. We had two tables for the finger food and one table for the exchange gifts....each having their own little optic Christmas tree (a recent donation). We helped them put their food or their exchange gift in the proper place. All were seated on tables with green tableclothes with stand up felt Christmas trees as decorations.
On the tables were bowls of marshmallows, toothpicks and stick pretzels, while they sat waiting they could create things with them and a prize was given at the end of the evening. Some were very very good! We also took some pictures of those creations. A box of candy was given to the overall winner of those creations at the end of the party.
Then Pastor prayed and we filled our plates with all kinds of finger foods.
When our stomachs were satisfied and the basic chit chat was satisfied we opened the night with a musical display of pictures of what we had done over this last year as a Church. amazing to see how many things our small congregation had accomplished. Ken did such a great job in putting the presentation together. We borrowed the projector from a funeral home since we do not have our own. We projected it onto the Fellowship Hall wall. It was very nice to review this.
THEN we started our first game. We made three teams: Two adult teams and one youth. I asked for one volunteer from each team who could stand for at least 15 minutes. I explained that our volunteers would now be transformed into a tree. I put over each one a disposable green table cloth where I had cut an X in the center so their head could slip over it. Each put their hands out to the side and now were the Christmas trees. I had the same number of decorations for each team consisting of stick up Christmas bows and various large foam shape stickers. I counted to three and then each team was to decorate their tree. It went over very well. We then took a picture of each team by their tree, and also a picture of the 3 trees standing together. The reward was just applause for each tree and each team.
Then I asked for all BRAVE souls who wanted to participate in the next game to sit at this one table. We had about ten brave souls. I brought out paper plates with the following: I placed an unwrapped piece of bubble gum in the center and squirted whip cream (canned) all over it forming a mound of whiteness. At my count of three, NOT using their hands, they were to find the bubble gum and chew it until they could make a bubble. Amazing how well that one went over. It was alot of fun.
Next we did the gift exchange game which was testy for some of our older folks, but we all survived it. Each was handed a gift as we sat in a big circle. Pastor Ken then read a Bible based story and every time he read the word: "RIGHT" we would pass the gift to the right, and when the story said the word "LEFT", we would go left. You can see why this would be confusing and stressful for some as the story picked up pace. But the younger ones all enjoyed it, and I tried to keep the older ones laughing. Everyone went home with something. Ken brought home a game and I brought home four bowls.
Then we went into a more serious mode. I explained that our Church currently supports a Missionary in Poland and I would like us to try one of their traditions. On Christmas Eve as each family gathers together for a huge meal they FIRST do the wafer. Each person is handed a large size wafer and you are to go up to each person, one at a time, telling them how they have blessed you this year, share positive words with each other, AND YET it is also the perfect time to reconcile with family and friends as you are one-on-one. Then you would break a piece from each others bread and "break bread together"- eat it together. The idea is to enter the celebration of Jesus with a pure heart and to start this new year afresh. Ken then stood and gave an example of this so all could understand. Then I passed a large sheet of mazto bread to each person. It was beautiful to watch. Some people would say simple things like: "Bless you". But I saw plenty of tears and hugs and heard meaningful words of gratitude and expressions of love one with another. It was lovely! That took quite a while as you were to keep moving to different people until your bread was gone.
This concluded our party. I had more games to play - but it seemed like it was time to end. And it was good to end on such a meaningful tone.
It was a lovely evening with God's people.
Bonnie
