Well, this candlelight service was a bit different.
The evening began with us arriving a few minutes after 4:00 pm. We were supposed to have a choir rehearsal for what we were singing that night at 4 before the service began at 5. When we walked in we were only number 5 and 6 of those to arrive. Around 4:20, people started trickling in at a more steady rate. Everyone was wearing one shade of blue or another. Now, we had asked earlier if there was a certain color everyone was supposed to wear and had been told, "no." So, there were Julie and I wearing red (because that is what people in America do around Christmas time--we wear red) and everyone else was in blue. As more people began to come in (the time is now 4:35), some other colors also showed up, so thankfully we weren't the only ones not wearing blue.
At about 4:40, I looked at my watch, looked over at Julie, and whispered, "This would never fly in America." In addition to not having yet practiced with the choir, Julie and I were also supposed to help lead worship. We had been busy the day of the practice, but since we were just "helping" we didn't think it would be a big deal. After asking a few people questions, we realized that it was just going to be the two of us and the guy playing the guitar and singing who were leading worship. So much for just "helping." And, 20 minutes before time to start, we still didn't know what songs we were singing! Someone told us that we would know them, but, as it turns out, I didn't know one of them. Someone got an unexpected solo on that part!
4:50 came and the people in the choir finally
So then the service starts. I'm standing up front with the others leading worship and realize I can't see the song sheet. One would think that since we are singing Christmas carols it wouldn't be any big deal, but do you know the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th verses of Christmas carols? I sure don't! I was doing a lot of watermeloning during the songs, trying look like I knew what I was doing.
Julie and I had picked out our seats prior to the service beginning and left our purses there. As we were singing, the church was beginning to fill up to the point of almost having no room. I saw the pastor bring two ladies up to the front and usher them into our seats. I just shrugged my shoulders and kept singing.
When we finished leading worship, we had no where to sit so I just walked to the back of the church and stood next to the door with about 10 other people. Occasionally, I could feel people pushing on the door to come in, so I stuffed myself in a corner and opened the door for them. I probably held the door open for 30 more people to come into a room that had absolutely no room for them. Eventually they started shoving chairs in the door that they placed in the aisle for people to sit in. At one moment, when I was stuffed in the corner, the ushers came back to get the offering bags. Where where they? Yep, behind me in the corner. I had to reach for those and pull them out while holding the door open and thinking that I should have not biscuits and gravy for breakfast that day.
Then, it was time for the choir to sing. We're in the back of the church, I'm stuffed in a corner, and the aisles are filled with people. There was no way we would make it to the front of the church. What were we going to do? Since I don't think surround-sound would have gone over very well, we quickly devised a plan to go out the back of the church, run down the stairs, through the outdoor courtyard, up the stairs, and to the front of the church. Once we got there, we crawled over several people and finally found ourselves on the stage and out of breath.
The choir singing went well until the end. You remember, the chorus we were supposed to sing twice in "Angels We Have Heard on High"? Well, everyone forgot expect for the basses. So the first set of Glorias were just the basses; the rest of us joined in on the second set of Glorias. And, for the record, I think the only reason the basses remembered was because the director was standing right next to them in the back of the choir playing the guitar...this might also be why the rest of us forgot to sing.
In order to avoid the back of the room senerio again, we ducked into the side stage area and sat on the floor. You wouldn't believe the amount of traffic or people who had to do costume changes during the program who climbed over me!
At the end of the service, we were going to light candles because this was a "Candlelight" service and that is what you do at these things. However, with people sitting in the aisles, children on the floor, and people being as close to each other as possible, the pastor wisely said that lighting candles would be a bad idea. It was a good move on his part because I had been thinking if there was a fire, we wouldn't be able to get out in time--no aisles, the doors open inward (a fire hazard), and a bunch of people who are typically less than patient rushing to the door. So, we sang "Silent Night" with no candles, but we still remembered the night of our Savior birth.
Oh, it was a night I will never forget. I laughed quite a bit that evening at how everything was happening and I'm sure I will continue to laugh in days and years to come. Really though, I am so blessed to have a fellowship here in the city filled with people who care about me and whom I have come to care about. I wouldn't trade this night for a perfect candlelight service!
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