Hello everyone—
I just walked down the sanctuary. That’s one of the perks of my job—I can walk down to this amazing space any time I want and sit and pray or just think.
I think the first thing you notice about our sanctuary is the spaciousness. The ceiling is lined with wooden planks that reach to the peak high above the floor. One young person told me there are 72 boards in the ceiling. He counts them when he is bored in church. The copper pipes of the organ reach up like hands held up in surrender. The trumpet pipes point out toward the seats where people sit on Sunday mornings.
Even when the sanctuary is empty, there is still a holiness about it, as though the walls and the ceiling are soaked with prayers and hymns. The stain glass windows allow just enough light to navigate.
Today the sanctuary is all decked out for Christmas. Dozens of poinsettias on the altar and along the windows offer splashy red color. Poinsettias are a fussy plant needing just enough water. Without it, they quickly wilt. Green garlands with gold bows drape along the walls. A Christmas tree stands near the organ. The advent wreath with three purple candles and one pink waits to be lit on Sunday. In the center of the altar, Mary and Joseph in miniature stand around a manger admiring the baby Jesus. Porcelain shepherds and cattle and sheep all stand witness.
It feels like the sanctuary is waiting.
On Sunday, the lights will come up and the people will arrive. We will sing and pray. We will read the old, old, scriptures that tell us again that God came to be with us.
“Silent Night, Holy Night, all is calm, all is bright…”
And then we will leave and the lights will go down and the doors of the sanctuary will close, and it will be quiet again.
I like the sanctuary when it is filled with people in worship.
But there is something about this holy space when it is empty and quiet. The sanctuary itself seems to testify to the importance of solitude.
And it makes me wonder.
About the power of silence and our need to simply sit with our own souls sometimes.
About the noisy places in the world and about violence and about peace.
About the thousands and thousands of people who have journeyed through this sanctuary throughout the years.
About this Christmas and our need to receive Christ yet again.
About God who meets us here in this place and fills us.
We are blessed really, to have this holy space. To know what it means to find safety. To bring us an awareness that there are people desperate for safe sanctuary.
Maybe that is what our sanctuary is waiting for, for us to invite others in, to share in its shelter.
Christmas blessings to you,
Pastor Cindy
Pastor Cindy Hickman
West Des Moines United Methodist Church
720 Grand Ave
West Des Moines Iowa 50265
515-279-0826
Like us on Facebook or visit us at wdmumc.org.
On Sundays, we worship at 8:30 in a traditional way and at 11 in a casual way. And now we Livestream our 8:30 worship!
Our Christmas Eve services!
5 pm Family Worship Our children will again tell the story of Jesus’ birth.
8 pm Traditional Worship. Both services will end with candlelight and the singing of “Silent Night.”
This Week at WDMUMC!
Midweek Refuel! Suppers on Wednesday night at 5:30! Ham balls, cheesy potatoes, and good company!
All-Church Christmas Breakfast! Rise and shine on Friday at 6:30 for a great breakfast! Nick Kuhn will be on hand to tell about the Justice League of Food and his work with homeless youth. Call the church to make a reservation.
Blue Christmas Service, 4 pm on Sunday. If this Christmas finds you in a low place emotionally, come to the Blue Christmas service. God came to give us hope.
A Big Thank You to Charlie’s Filling Station for their food drive for our Little Pantry! We have great neighbors!
And by the way, the sanctuary is open when the church is open. You are welcome to come and sit in its quiet.
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