One of our favorite activities every year is going to visit our homebound members at Christmas time to sing beloved carols to them.
After worship, we have a short lunch and set off at about noon. This year we had nine stops to make, starting in Pleasant Valley, meandering down Old Bethlehem Pike and over to Sellersville, back up through Quakertown and Richlandtown until we ended our trek in Hellertown. Nine stops may not sound like a lot, but between the driving and the singing, it takes us an average of half an hour for every stop. Those who join us are not only sharing something special, they are giving their whole Sunday afternoon rest to bless those in need.
Of course, we like to make sure each stop is special. Not only do we sing multiple carols, mixing in Christian favorites with some of the popular culture classics, but we also bring Christmas gifts with us to share. This year the gifts were prepared by our Sunday school children (big thank you!).
On our final stop, we always pull out all the stops. By the time we arrive, we've been caroling for nearly 5 hours, but we rally our energy for our music director, Mr. Jeremy Wolfe, to sing his favorite Christmas carol, the "12 Days of Christmas", complete with actions!
When it's all said and done, we are exhausted. But we're also overwhelmed with joy, having spent the day sharing the love of Christ and the miracle of Christmas with those whom we otherwise would not be able to celebrate with each year.
God bless, and even though it's nearly a month late now, Merry Christmas!