Early Patchwork Community members went about building a sense of of family and community through shared ceremonies and rituals. Since its start, Patchwork has always created new Community celebrations and kept many of the old ones going.
One long-held tradition is to gather in the Patchwork parking lot early on a Saturday at the beginning of December to drive to reclaimed strip mine land in search of our Christmas trees. White pines and junipers–we’ve got a couple favorite spots to look. There is always at least one dog running through the tall grass and getting his legs muddy. And always a red truck to load with fine specimens that would make Charlie Brown proud.
Together we choose the Patchwork Tree–something big enough to grace the spot at the front of the big room. The following Sunday evening, we hang the greens and prepare for Christmas as our Advent candles burn.
The Patchwork Worship Community celebrated this ritual again this year with the gathering and hanging of the greens. We celebrated Advent during our worship together, looking toward the celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas. Also during worship, we sang together and, as we do each week, shared Communion with each other.
Before there were organized Patchwork programs, before there was a Patchwork presence at 100 Washington Avenue, before most all of us came to know what Patchwork was, there was Worship every Sunday evening. And it remains now.
At 5:15 pm on every Sunday evening, a group of us gather, led by volunteers from among the Worship Community itself. Anyone is welcome to join us!
And to everyone: Merry Christmas. I hope your own family rituals and Christmas celebrations are joyful.
Patchwork’s offices will be closed from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day. We’ll be open again on January 2, 2013!
2 thoughts on “A Worshipful Advent”
one of these years i would like dave and i to go!
one of these years i would like dave and i to go!