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Photographs by Joe & Ruth

Joe and I accepted the Pineville Church of the Nazarene Student Ministries’ community invitation to their eighth annual—and first time indoors—free guided walk through Bethlehem set 2,000 years ago. We were warmly greeted on this day of a new record cold temperature (14° F), put in the pink popsicle stick group, given a shekel to pay taxes, and offered pre-tour refreshments:  a great assortment of sweets to wash down with hot mulled apple cider, sparkling punch, coffee, and hot chocolate. We followed young Mary to the village gate entrance and witnessed the angel Gabriel’s astounding birth announcement to the young maiden. Joseph wrestled with his conscience and then received the angelic proclamation of the Saviour’s birth, to take Mary as his wife and give her Baby the name Emmanuel. We ambled up the main street that special night full of townspeople stirring. Seeking the reason for the season, we visitors traveled into the back country, encountered the angel’s good news to the shepherds, and hastened with them to the manger. The Wise Men had made really good time (& beat the shepherds to the manger!)—surely the star will guide them into the house to worship the young child come Epiphany.

Bethlehem Re-enactment details:  Pineville Church of the Nazarene, 8614 Pineville-Matthew Rd., Charlotte, NC 28226.

We ended the evening with Carolina Pro Musica’s Christmas at St. Mary’s. Historic St. Mary’s Chapel in downtown Charlotte (built in 1892 as part of Thompson Orphanage, an Episcopal establishment) is just the right size for two lovely programs of Medieval and Renaissance music. Karen Hite Jacob, Rebecca Miller Saunders, Holly Wright Maurer, and Edward Ferrell performed: voices, recorders, viols, harp, harpsichord, psaltery, percussion, guitar, and mandolin, with Lou Dalessandro, guest narrator—we enjoyed one of our most favorite annual concerts, hearing some of our most favorite musicians.