It’s Pageant time again! The cheer that went up last week, after that announcement, nearly blew the roof off the Parish House. Hands shot up…”Can I be…?” The excitement was tremendous. It’s the reason we go through all the hard work and chaos to pull this off on Christmas Eve. Everyone loves telling the story of the birth of Jesus. I, of course, love sneaking in teaching something to these kids when they don’t even know they are learning. By the time the pageant is completed, the children learn just what it was like in the stable that night, and how the shepherds and kings really felt when they finally saw baby Jesus. Everyone is surprised to learn that Jesus wasn’t really a newborn when the Magi made their visit (and were there really three?).

That’s the fun of learning. It can come as a surprise. I was reminded last week why I love St. Paul’s so much. It’s the people. People genuinely care about each other here. Over the last few weeks, we’ve heard people speaking about hope and gifts. St. Paul’s is the gift of love. It’s about people getting together to make baskets for more needy families. It’s about someone giving you a hug on a Sunday morning when they know you are going through a difficult time. St. Paul’s is about caring; the people here support each other on a daily basis through their thoughts, actions and prayers. I thank God that I have found such a loving and caring community to call home. I’m always learning just what a special place this is, and what a nice surprise that can be on a cold day.

Come join the shepherds and sheep and tell the story of Jesus’ birth. Pageant sign-up forms are available in the Parish Hall on Sunday mornings in December. It’s a great time, and watch out . . . you might learn something along the way.