Happy holidays

We had a great Christmas Eve and Christmas day. On Christmas Eve we went to Epiphany Church's Children's Mass. Kathy belongs to that parish now. She had been advised by her friends that an earlier arrival would assure us of choice seats. Mass was at 5:30 and we arrived at 4PM. Much to our chagrin we were the ONLY car in the parking lot. (By we, I mean Paul, Karen and I.) Paul tried a few locations and finally settled on one that suited him. We sat for awhile and then Kathy and Scott and the kids pulled into the lot. Paul jumped out of the car and did the official gestures that direct cars to the appropriate parking place. It so happened that it was right next to ours.

We proceded into the church, which was pretty much empty, Maybe a guitarist,trumpeter, pianist or so and we chose our seats. We took up a whole row of seats (10 chairs).

Gradually other people were drifting in, we were somewhat dismayed to see quite a few of them with soft drinks from Mc Donalds, Wendy's etc. and we were downright stunned to see one group eating BigMacs! around 5 o'clock the church rapidly filled up. There was quite a bit of joviality and Christmas greetings, and 'long time no see' conversations going on around us. It was the Childrens' Mass so naturally there many children.

As the time moved on toward 5:30, darling little Angels ran up the aisle to get in their places. Hark, we didn't hear anybody singing because there was such a hub bub. Soon, though, the sign was given that Mass was about to begin and quiet fell just as outside the glass walls we could see twilight falling also. The priest
had a lovely singing voice and the ability to enthrall all of the children with the ceremony and yet engage the adults in the spirit of things as well.

Their musicians played the traditional Carols and the adult choir,children's choir and the congregation accompanied them. The service ended about 7 o'clock and we went out into the cold winter night and got into our cars in their premier parking places and left for Kristin and Tim's house for a delightfully delicious Christmas Eve dinner.

I could not help but wonder what some of the old timers back in the day would think of that ceremony. My brother,Joe, who left the church for a period of time and came back later said the church he left was not the one he came back to. When he heard guitars at Mass,he referred to them as Hoot-en-ninny Masses. We had to remind him that when they first played organs in church the congregation referred to those as Circus Masses. Time marches on.

When I described the experience to Brian he came up with an idea for next year. he said we could all tail-gate, get a small grill and throw some bugers on and go from there.

I really did enjoy it and thank Kathy for inviting me. I have heard so much about Epiphany and have wanted to go there for sometime. I hope to go back again. It is a beaautiful place.

Tomorrow I'll give you a rundown on Christmas Day. Ciao