Moravian Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

So...it is the morning after Christmas 2011.

We had a truly delightful day.

Everyone came into church with 

energy and joy.

Our service was filled to the brim with 

music and scripture.

Loved it!!

But the festivities began the night

before for our little family.

You see, 

Warren's maternal heritage is Moravian.

His Grandpa Howard and Grandma Charlotte

were fully involved in the Moravian Church 

in York.  

This meant that Warren's mom, Georgia,

was raised in the Moravian tradition, as well.

One of the most important days of the year

was Christmas Eve.

The candlelight service is amazingly special 

and something that I came to love when 

I joined the family.

Then in the years since Grandma Charlotte

passed on and we always had a 

Christmas Eve Service of our own

we had not gone.

However, since Christmas fell on a Sunday

Pastor Mike decided to move our service

to Christmas Day and we were free to  make

the trek to York.

After a nice dinner together at Outback

Steakhouse we made our way to the church

in the heart of the city of York.

Immediately Georgia found folks from 

her past.  They delighted to see each other.

And then we made our way upstairs to the 

beautiful sanctuary.

Elaine, the long time organist,

was bringing forth amazing music

from the vintage pipe organ.

As you know they have an amazing sound.

The service began and was pleasantly

familiar.  From the songs sung to 

the serving of love feast.

A special cinnamon bun and coffee.

Celebrating the unity of believers as history

tells of two groups of Moravians who had a 

dispute.  They decided one day to work through

it and once resolved they stayed to eat together

thus sealing the resolution and enjoying 

each others company once again.

My favorite song in the service is called

Morning Star. 

The song is sung antiphonally with 

a child or children

leading the congregation.

Sigh......

so...sooo.....beautiful.

I am going to attempt to get the music

and teach it to our congregation for 

Christmas Eve 2012.

A traditional Moravian

Christmas Tree.

Decorated with musical instruments,

dried fruit and beeswax candles.

The beeswax candles are very important to the 

tradition.  Each year the people of the church 

get together to wrap the tissue paper 

decoration at the base of the candle.

This serves as protection from the dripping 

wax as well as looking stunning.

This was the house across the street from the 

parking lot there in York.

 

We just thought it was so pretty.

I hope your Christmas was special.

Full of Joy.

Oh! And by the way....

the bottom half of the tree has been 

relieved of its gingerbread men.

That's how far the dogs can reach...

so they did.  

While we were in York.

Apparently the boys downstairs were

not paying any attention

so they got away with it.

Silly dogs.