On Saturday, Dec. 11, Santa Claus came to town, and specifically to Live Oak. And on Tuesday, Dec. 14, members gathered in the sanctuary for the Blue Christmas Vespers to give witness to the other side of the emotional coin.
Santa visited with children and their families, taking the time to let every child know that they had been so good last year. Pictures were taken by the scads and many parents from the larger community let us know how much this event means to them, and how glad they were to see us again after not being able to hold the event last year, pre-vaccines. Special thank you’s to Marie Mulling for expertly organizing the event, and of course, Santa Claus, for making time for Live Oak in his very busy schedule!
Tuesday night, members gathered in the sanctuary for a more solemn time. Readings and music addressed both the personal griefs we are carrying at this time, along with the overwhelming communal grief around covid – the lives lost, the things that been stolen away. Participants said that it was good to have a place where they could let down and simply “be” with all of the myriad emotions they’re holding. Special thank yous to Darja Tomanovic for music and Mike Schultz for running the soundboard/slides.
