Christmas Season Traditions

Christmas Season Traditions

This Christmas season is a time of both honoring old traditions and introducing new ones. At CGS this year, I enjoyed the beautiful results of our Greening of the Church tradition. And I started a new personal tradition of watching the German-language Christmas Eve service on YouTube. And I saw other traditions taking a "sabbatical" this year, like the appearance of Santa Lucia at an Advent worship service.

Christmas gives me an opportunity to reflect on two questions: what traditions have outlived their usefulness, and what new ones would I like to start? One of my good, old traditions is reviewing the year in gratitude. For 2021, I am grateful that:

• the congregation has kept CGS in a healthy financial state;
• the church successfully hosted the Safe Car Park for two entire months;
• so many people volunteered to keep the church office running after two staff members left;
• the personnel committee found new (wonderful) staff so quickly;
• the Call Committee keeps everyone informed of their progress in calling a new pastor.

And this season is a time of hope. I am hopeful that the Council will continue to navigate the changing currents of pandemics and economics that affect our congregation in 2022.

May you all enjoy your traditions filled with gratitude and hope.

                                                          - Gregg Zigler, Council member