We dip bits of home-baked bread into the chalice, receiving forgiveness and hope from the familiar words: The body of Christ, broken for you. . . . The blood of Christ, shed for you for the redemption of your sins. After Communion the lights go off and we circle the sanctuary. The faces of friends and neighbors, visitors and strangers, all in their holiday best, are reflected in the flickering glow of our small candles as we sing “Silent Night.”

Christmas Eve service was part of our schedule two years ago when we spent the holidays with our son Michael and his family. They attend an ultramodern church and the family service was at 4:00 PM. A rock band played carols in an upbeat tempo. The Christmas story was from Luke, but it wasn’t in King James English. We had Communion crackers, not bread, and we took them in silence. We all wore jeans.

For a moment I longed for my little church with its candlelight and comfort. Then I spotted a tiny white angel with gold-threaded wings on their tree, almost like the shimmering gold angel on the Chrismon tree. The angel, I remembered, symbolized God’s Word coming to each of us. The shining faces throughout the auditorium and the rejoicing spirit all around bore testimony that the Gospel in modern dress was more than okay. It was good news!

Word made Flesh, thank You for the timeless, unchanging message that speaks anew to each generation.