Christmas is a day of celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus, who brought hope, love, and salvation to humanity. In this special season, our church is filled with a busy yet warm and joyful atmosphere.
In the days leading up to Christmas, believers arrived at the church early to prepare for this holy occasion.
People who were responsible for cleaning meticulously tidying every corner of the church. Some scrubbed the floors bent down and vigorously wiped the surfaces. Those cleaning the windows carefully polished each pane to ensure the sunlight brightened the church. Others meticulously cleaned every part of the altar, recognizing it as the sacred place where God’s Word is proclaimed.
In addition to cleaning, another group of believers decorated the church. Red Chinese knots were hung high, and couplets handwritten by the pastor were pasted on both sides of the church’s main entrance. As Christmas for believers is just like Spring Festival for Chinese people, the church was decorated with lights and filled with joy and peace.
Some elderly believers contributed by helping with cleaning tasks within their capacity. They also prepared peanuts, which will be distributed in Christmas candy boxes to participants as Christmas gifts.
Each Christmas, believers meticulously rehearse diverse programs to express gratitude to the Lord and commemorate Jesus' birth. Among these, skits are particularly popular. Most of the skits revolve around family ethics, portraying the joys, sorrows, conflicts, and reconciliations within families while sharing the gospel through these stories with non-believers.
Though the average age of the actors is over 60, their enthusiasm is undiminished. Despite frequently forgetting their lines during rehearsals, they diligently memorized and repeatedly practiced their performances, without giving up. The elderly women from the meeting place were equally enthusiastic, forming a choir to perform hymns on stage.
Dance performances are the most prevalent in Christmas programs. As the saying goes, "Ten minutes on stage takes ten years of practice." The dance team began rehearsals a month and a half before Christmas. During the day, many had their affairs to attend to, so they gathered to rehearse in the evenings. Despite the cold weather, some even sweated after practice sessions. They often remarked that rehearsing here brought great joy to their hearts.
(Originally published by the Gospel Times, the article has been edited under permission and the author is a pastor at a church in Jiangsu.)
- Edited and translated by Abigail Wu
