Read the full issue of this week’s newsletter here: The Weekly Liberal Dec. 17.

In this week’s issue, Rev. Justin writes:

One of the things I’ve noticed during the pandemic is that the facade of “everything is ok” has mostly fallen away. We’re much more likely to honestly share how we’re really doing. The veneer of “having it all together” has chipped and cracked and allowed many of us to name what’s true. This practice, particularly as we approach Christmas and the winter holidays, feels especially important. 

Let’s not kid ourselves: while we’re not all struggling this holiday season, a good many of us are. In addition to reimagining gatherings with family and friends, we know that this holiday season, we will not gather in the Sanctuary for our Christmas Pageant, or Winter Solstice Ritual, or Christmas Eve Candlelight service. Nonetheless, we will be offering these services of hope, memory, and tradition, but in ways that acknowledge the pandemic reality we’re living in and the very real limitations that has created.

This Sunday, Dec. 20, at 10 a.m, and on December 24 at 4 p.m., we will offer our Christmas Pageant live-streamed via Zoom (Dec. 20 only) and YouTube Live. After exploring a number of options and possibilities, seeking to capture via Zoom the power of the Solstice Ritual, we realized that this ritual would be exceedingly difficult to recreate on Zoom, and so we’ve created a beautiful “Do-It-Yourself” ritual and script to do in the convenience of your own home (more on that, below). On December 24, at 9:30 p.m., we’ll offer our Christmas Eve Candlelight service, blending readings, songs, and elements typically found in our Solstice Ritual along with some of the more traditional Christmas Eve readings and songs. 

We hope you will join us and participate in some or all of these rituals and services. And please know that your ministry team is here for you; if you are struggling, we want to be in the struggle with you, listening, supporting, and offering perspective and practices to find a way through this difficult time. We’re with you.

In faith,
Rev. Justin