December 13 is celebrated in Sweden and throughout Scandinavia as the Festival of Santa Lucia. Here are a couple of clips I found for my half-Swedish Wife.
And here is another version of Santa Lucia by our Public Radio personality Garrison Keillor of Minnesota Public Radio's Prairie Home companion.
The only reason for time is to prevent everything from happening at once - Albert Einstein
You know you have reached Middle Age when it takes you longer to rest up than it did to get tired.
If it sounds good; it is good
Rob
Beautiful inspiring videos. Thanks for posting them
" The essance of reproduction,to feel and re-create that which was felt and impared by the creater,does not exclude- within natural limitations-the assertion of creative power" - Dr. Hugo Goldschmidt.
I wish you the Best for each day, now and always.
Bill
They are amazing, what a wonderful Festival. Thank you for sharing them with us.
Margaret
We used to have these services at my church until there weren't enough young aged girls left to participate. My congregation's median age is now at 68.
They were always beautiful services (I enjoyed watching the vids above - thank you) and we always filled the church on that date.
We used a crown with real candles ... until someone got slightly singed by some hot wax, then we switched to 'electric' candles.
"Median age of 68" - Ooops, has someone in the Pastoral Leadership Department been asleep at the wheel?
No ... we are an "inner city" church with absolutely zero prospect of growth. We have dwindled in membership from a peak of 1,750 in the mid 80's to the present membership of about 450. Part of that decline is because the ELCA added 3 more parishes within a 10 mile radius ... all four parishes are declining in membership, and we often rotate some festival services like Thanksgiving Eve amongst the four, one parish is then the 'home' for that service each year in rotation.Originally Posted by Corno Dolce
We do lots of outreach in the local community, but it nets zero additional members, not because of any leadership issues, but simply because most people here think they have better things to do than give one hour a week to the church. We are holding our own - our edifice and property mortgage were paid off 30 years ago and so we are 'debt free', except for utilities and insurance. Because of being 'in the black' every year, we are able to maintain a paid staff, which includes myself, and maintain all of our music department which includes our Möller Pipe Organ.
As for Santa Lucia, the interest dwindled as more and more of the Scandinavian population of our parish passed on through the years. Finally, when two people showed up for what became the final Lucia service, we said, 'enough'!
Kh
Thanx Kh,
I knew that I was "missing" something...Like, half of my brain........D'OH!!!!!!!!
Lovely videos. Just caught up with them but worth praise. Wish I was there
teddy
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