ATTENDING CHURCH SERVICES has always been a part of my Christmas time celebration for it is Christ’s birth I focus on today.
I recently photographed these scenes at Fourth Avenue United Methodist Church, an historic Faribault, Minnesota, church:
While the sanctuary stood empty, I imagined the pews packed with worshipers,
the baby Jesus already laid in the manger,
the anticipation of children restless with excitement.
What a joyful time.
May the blessings of peace, happiness and joy be yours today and in the year ahead, for unto us a Saviour is born, Christ the Lord.
Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
I enjoy looking at all the nativity scenes – I have a growing collection in composite/plastic, crystal, wood, ceramics, cloth, etc. Wishing you all a Happy and Blessed Christmas!
I am always amazed at the variety of Nativity scenes. So many beautiful ones.
A very blessed Christmas to you and yours, Marilyn.
Merry Christmas Audrey, I hope your day is filled with family, joy and many blessing. Jackie
Thank you, Jackie. May your day also be joyful, surrounded by those you love.
Merry Christmas! Love, the Schmidt family
Merry Christmas to you guys, too! We miss our girl, but know that she is having a fabulous time with all of you, far removed from cold and snowy Minnesota.
Merry Christmas, Audrey. And what a beautiful nativity scene there is in this church. It’s gorgeous. We usually like to go to church at 11pm on Christmas Eve and afterwards it’s Christmas Day and so everyone hangs around wishing everyone else a Merry Christmas. But this year I hosted a Christmas Eve dinner so we didn’t make it. We did get to Carols by the Sea a few days ago and that was a fantastic evening of hearing the message of Christmas as in between the carols, parts of the Book of Luke were read to all who attended. xx
Carols by the Sea sounds like a lovely way to celebrate the birth of Christ.
Christmas Eve service was packed in our little town…at all the churches having a special service or two. It was so wonderful! Love the photos!!!!
Isn’t it glorious to see the pews filled?
It really is……..very much an encouragement!!!!!!
Lovely pictures. We attended a wonderful service on Christmas Eve in Cary at the UMC Church where one of Aaron has a good friend who attends. It was packed for communion and candle lighting and the sermon even featured the telling of Yertle the Turtle–one of my fav Dr. Seuss stories. 🙂 All in all a blessed evening. Much love to you and yours.
Now you have me wondering how Yertle the Turtle (can’t recall that story) ties in with Christmas. Sounds like a wonderful service. Ours was, too.
He spoke about Herrod and how he rose to power and how Yertle had all the turtles stack up so he could be king of all he saw…. And then one small burp from a turtle below rocked his kingdom and all crumbled. :-(. It fit, trust me.
That sounds like one mighty attention-grabbing sermon. Memorable for sure. And I love that kind of creativity.
That coupled with his story of being a neighbor and friend to the Lynyrd Skynyrd band…..
Beautiful Methodist Church your City has! Churches always look warm and cozy during the Blessed Christmas Season. Too bad the pews are filled with so many CEO’s. (Christmas and Easter only) goers.
I am always thankful for anyone who fills the pews, be it once or twice a year or weekly.