How is your congregation marking Advent and Christmas this year? Last year and this year, we asked several Mennonite congregations to give us a sneak peek into this season at their church. We’ve combined reflections from 2016 and 2017 here. Want to send your photo and reflections our way? Send them to Editor@TheMennonite.org. (Churches are listed in alphabetical order)

College Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana

College Mennonite Church’s third unrehearsed, full-congregation Christmas pageant was held on Sunday, December 17, 2017. Everyone was invited to don a costume and join together in worship as we told the story of Jesus’ birth.

East Union Mennonite Church, Kalona, Iowa

Each year we have an evening service with Lessons and Carols. This includes readings from the gospel of Luke and singing traditional Christmas hymns. This year we will have the service starting at 10:30 p.m. and ending at midnight. The highlight is usually singing two to three songs, including Silent Night, by candlelight. All those gathered circle the sanctuary to sing.

Hyattsville (Maryland) Mennonite Church

Every year during Advent/Christmas at Hyattsville Mennonite Church, we gather to sing Christmas selections from Händel’s Messiah. In the past, this was done on a Sunday evening as a special occasion, but now we have switched to singing during a Sunday morning worship service in December. The Messiah sing takes the place of a traditional sermon, and most people in the pews shift around to stand with their preferred parts (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass). This tradition has always been well-received, especially since moving to a Sunday morning, and we are blessed to have many talented singers in our congregation to sing solo and chorus parts. Jake Short, Administrator

Iglesia Menonita Encuentro Renovacion, Miami, Florida

As a Hispanic Mennonite church, this Christmas season is a time to reunite with family members. It’s time to sit around the table one more time and share those wonderful life stories that characterize us. It is also time to have fun and enjoy those wonderful dishes that characterize our culture. At church, as well in our homes, everything happens around the table, around food.

This year as usual at Iglesia Menonita Encuentro Renovacion we had our Christmas lunch at church where everyone shares their special dish with each other. We enjoyed our time together as we chatted. The kids are always anxious to receive and open their gifts that the church shares with each of them each year.

We really enjoy our time together and wish that time did not move as we have fun and celebrate Jesus Christ’s presence in our life. Andrew Bodden, Pastor

Journey Mennonite Church, Hutchinson, Kansas

I’ve been blessed to be part of a body of believers who live in the anticipation of Christ’s coming. In past years, we have participated in Advent Conspiracy: a project that helps us to worship fully, spend less, give more and love all. Through this program we have supported projects to provide clean water in Sudan, microfinance loans for Afghan women, refurbishing a home through Interfaith Housing for a single mom, support for the children of the Samuelito Daycare in Bolivia, building a homeless shelter, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, and projects that invite giving of self (bone marrow, blood, hair for wigs, and organ donation).

This year during Advent, we are offering a different way to worship through art.Each week we have coloring stations with pieces of Advent art for people to add color to. The pieces are then put together and they accompany the Advent candle the next week.

Last week, I was disappointed that the word ‘hope’ was not very visible in that week’s art piece. But then God put on my heart that sometimes hope is hard to see in real life. Cindy Headings, Administrator

Peace Mennonite Community Church, Aurora, Colorado

We have been celebrating Advent each week with a candle lighting and an Advent reading. On Christmas Eve, we will have a special candlelight worship service as well as a time of fellowship with cider and cookies. On Christmas morning, we will have a time of communion and worship.

This season, we have been collecting gifts for Comitis Crisis Center, a local organization that supports homeless families in our city. This year we are going to try something new as well: a game night on New Year’s Eve. The hope is that folks from our congregation will open their homes for members of our church family to gather together to celebrate the New Year with fellowship and fun board games. Katie Pham, Administrative Assistant

Witmer Heights Mennonite Church and First Deaf Mennonite, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Witmer Heights Mennonite Church and First Deaf Mennonite have had a long tradition of a combined breakfast/worship service the on the Sunday of December. One year one of us does the meal and the other plans the service and the next year we switch roles. This year for the service we had a Christmas drama and ended with a candlelighting and singing of Silent Night. Its always a beautiful picture to sing songs and see the beauty of the sign language around us. Randy Keener

Yellow Creek Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana

A candlelighting service is one tradition that congregational members participate in at Yellow Creek Mennonite Church. Starting with the light from the Christ candle, the flame is passed until the whole room is glowing in celebration of the light that Christ brings to the world.