When Do You Put Out Your Christmas Decorations? - Ben Reece's Peaces

Traditionally, churches have decorated for Christmas just after Thanksgiving and before the start  of Advent. Many of you may remember attending churches with a "Hanging of the Greens" service, where Christmas decorations, especially greenery like wreaths and Christmas trees, were placed around the church. These services, often held at the end of November, led many to decorate their homes the week after Thanksgiving as well. 

However, this tradition is relatively recent. Hanging of the Greens services only gained popularity in American churches in the 1950s-60s. Before then, most churches remained undecorated through Advent, only adding Christmas decorations on Christmas Eve. This custom was mirrored in many American households, particularly among families of German descent, who often decorated their trees on Christmas Eve or even kept them hidden until Christmas morning. Celebrations would then continue through the Twelve Days of Christmas, ending on Epiphany, January 6th. 

Even more surprisingly, decorating for Christmas wasn’t always a common practice in the U.S.  In fact, before the mid-1800s, most families and churches didn’t decorate for Christmas at all. Christmas trees were rare and primarily found in homes of wealthy German families or within  German-speaking communities. In certain periods of American history, some communities and states even prohibited Christmas celebrations and decorations altogether! 

 Today, Christmas decorating has evolved dramatically. Just recently, I visited a Home Depot before Halloween, and the Christmas section was already set up, a Christmas tree displayed next to the headless horseman! Many    families, along with stores, now start decorating well     before Thanksgiving. 

And there’s nothing wrong with that. If there’s one thing we know about Christmas decorations, it’s that the timing is always changing. While people might decorate earlier each year, the celebration remains the same: honoring the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. So, whether someone sets up their decorations in November, or even in July, the heart of the celebration remains centered on that first Christmas morning. 

WHAT DO HYMNS HAVE THAT MOST MODERN CHURCH SONGS DON’T? - Marc's Music Notables

At Hurstbourne Christian Church, we are proud of our music program and pride ourselves on creating a worship experience that is meaningful to all of our worshippers.  Several times, people have asked me about my philosophy around church music and how I pick the sons to include in worship. Here are some of my guiding principles around hymns over some that may be missing in modern church songs:

Theological Depth:

· Hymns often contain rich theological content and profound expressions of faith. They explore doctrinal themes and biblical narratives, providing a sense of spiritual depth and education.

Poetic and Artistic Language:

· Hymns often feature sophisticated poetic structures and language, making them musically engaging and artistically significant. The careful crafting of hymn lyrics can convey complex theological ideas in an aesthetically pleasing and memorable way.  They also make you think about the text and lead you to   a deeper study of God’s word.

Corporate Singing:

· Hymns are often written with congregational singing in mind, making them suitable for communal worship. When the entire congregation joins in singing, they can create a sense of unity and participation.

Time-Tested Melodies:

· Hymn melodies have endured and have been sung and cherished for generations. Their familiarity can evoke a sense of nostalgia and comfort for long-time churchgoers.

It's important to note that not all modern church songs lack these elements. Some contemporary worship songs have theological depth, poetic language, and congregational singing ability. Some churches today try to blend hymns and modern songs to create a rich and meaningful worship experience that resonates with worshipers of all ages and backgrounds. There are even modern hymn writers like Keith and Kristyn Getty who are writing beautiful music.  While I am not opposed to implementing new songs in our worship, My guiding principle has always been that scriptural-based text and melodic familiarity are comforting elements of our worship services.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding - Jenna's Favorite Recipes

This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes! It’s a unique way to enjoy all the flavor of traditional pumpkin pie while also getting to experience a new take on a holiday favorite.

Start by making some pumpkin bread a few days ahead of time. I like to use this paleo recipe, but you can use whatever recipe you like best. Then on the big day, all you have to do is make the custard mixture, bake it, and enjoy! It’s so delicious with homemade whipped cream! This recipe makes 6-8 servings.

 Ingredients:

For Pumpkin Bread

· 1 15oz can pumpkin puree

· 3 eggs

· 1/4 cup maple syrup

· 1 tsp vanilla

· 2 1/4 cups almond flour

· 1 tsp baking soda

· 1/2 tsp salt

· 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

 For Bread Pudding

· 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

· 3 eggs

· 1 cup half & half or cream

· 1/2 cup milk

· 1/2 cup maple syrup

· 1/2 cup brown sugar, maple sugar, or coconut sugar

· 1/2 tsp salt

· 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

· 2 tsp vanilla

· 1 loaf pumpkin bread, cubed

 Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a loaf pan with parchment paper or oil.

2. Whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until combined.

4. Pour into the loaf pan. Bake for 45-60 min, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

5. Let cool and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

6. When ready to make the bread pudding, cut the bread up into small cubes, less than 1 inch in size. Place the cubed bread in a greased baking dish in an even layer.

7. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the other ingredients and mix thoroughly to make a “custard.” Pour the mixture over the bread and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes.

8. Preheat oven to 350. When the pudding is ready to go in the oven, stir it just before putting it in to  redistribute the custard.

9. Bake until the pudding is set and starting to brown. This could take anywhere from 40-70 minutes.

10. Serve warm, topped with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

*Leftovers (if you have any) can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Back To School! - Reece's Peaces

I’m officially a student again! On September 30th, I began my first class in the Doctor of Ministry program at Lexington Theological Seminary, a Disciples of Christ institution here in Kentucky. In fact, I'm taking a break from listening to my first lecture to write this article.

I’m excited to be returning to academic life, and eager to bring the insights I gain back  into my ministry. At the same time, I’m also confronting some familiar challenges that come with being a student again. 

One of the biggest hurdles for me is reading material I disagree with. A significant part   of theological studies involves grappling with ideas and perspectives that differ from my own, something I’ve always found difficult. I naturally gravitate toward works that I resonate with, those that feel true and aligned with my beliefs. But when faced with  writings I find problematic, especially on matters of faith, I tend to get stuck. I question the author’s conclusions, scrutinize their reasoning and data, and often dive into my Bible to challenge their translation or interpretation of scripture. 

However, I’ve realized this mindset isn’t the most productive way to learn. Approaching a text solely to find faults limits my ability to discover what it might teach me, and how it might contribute to my growth. Instead of seeking out ways a work could be improved, I’m committing to a new approach as I resume my studies: focusing on what’s constructive and how  each book or article can enhance my ministry. 

I encourage all of you to take this mindset into your own lives as well. Seek out the good rather than the negative, look for opportunities to learn from even difficult experiences, and live fully  into the glory of God. 

The Story Behind the Hymn: “Now Thank We All Our God” - Marc's Music Notables

Written by Alissa Davis, a Master of Sacred Music student at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. She studies hymnology with Dr. C. Michael Hawn, University Distinguished Professor of Church Music, Perkins School of Theology.

For modern American Protestant churchgoers, the hymn “Now thank we all our God,” likely conjures up an image of a congregation singing in unison, a pipe organ blasting away at a stately tempo, and a church full of people thinking about the approaching feast of stuffed turkey with cranberry sauce. In order to understand where this hymn came from, I would like to offer a very different image: A minister and his family sing this hymn before dinner to thank God for the scraps of food they have on the table in their meager home in a desolate refugee city that is afflicted with famine and disease and war. Since the earliest projected date for this hymn is 1636 and the oldest known date is 1663, this hymn was certainly written during or soon after the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648).

Martin Rinckart (1586-1649) was an accomplished musician who studied at the University of Leipzig and then spent most of his career as a musician and archdeacon in the city of Eilenburg during the Thirty Years’ War. British Hymnologist J.R. Watson accounts that as one of the last surviving ministers in the city, Rinckart had to stretch personal resources to take care of refugees and spend most of his time performing nearly fifty funerals per day at the height of the plague. This experience during the Thirty Years’ War had a profound impact on Rinckart’s poetry, just as it did for his hymn writer contemporaries. Lutheran scholar Carl Schalk observes that unlike the objective hymn texts of the Reformation period, the “cross and comfort” hymnody of the time reflected life situations of the people with greater metrical regularity, smoother language, and a theology relatable to everyday life.

The text of the first two stanzas are based on Sirach 50:22-24: “Now therefore bless ye the God of all, which only doeth wondrous things everywhere, which exalteth our days from the womb, and dealeth with us according to his mercy. He grants us joyfulness of heart, and that peace may be in our days in Israel forever (KJV).”

The first stanza is a depiction of a bounteous and gracious God who has blessed us and provided for us. The text is propelled forward by the phrases beginning with “who/whom” and ending in descriptors of God’s actions (anaphora):

who wondrous things has done,

in whom this world rejoices;

who from our mothers’ arms….

For someone in Rinckart’s dire situation, this expression of abundant gratitude might seem like hyperbole. If you don’t live in constant fear of starvation, the plague, and invading armies, you are already quite a bit more fortunate than he; and yet, he expands this description of God into the second stanza by bridging the two with similar ideas (anadiplosis) “countless gifts” at the end of the first stanza with a “bounteous God” at the beginning of stanza two.

The second stanza of the hymn moves to the future, praying for guidance and a continuation of thanks and praise:

O may this bounteous God

through all our life be near us,

with ever joyful hearts

and blessed peace to cheer us;

and keep us still in grace,

and guide us when perplexed;

and free us from all ills,

in this world and the next.

The second stanza also employs the poetic device of anaphora by beginning each phrase with “and” in three successive phrases: “and keep us…,” “and guide us…,” “and free us….” The three verbs are arranged in an implied chronological order that leads up to the final phrase “this world and the next.”

The third and final stanza brings the hymn to a close by acting as a German Gloria Patri (Lesser Doxology), which offers praise to all Persons of the Trinity and acknowledges God’s eternal nature in the last line.

All praise and thanks to God

the Father now be given;

the Son, and him who reigns

with them in highest heaven,

the one eternal God,

whom earth and heaven adore;

for thus it was, is now,

and shall be evermore.