Gloria
- Bruce Fite
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Thanks to the Yerkes family for taking care of the church parking lot last weekend.
My favorite Christmas Carol is “Angels We Have Heard On High.” At Memorial Church we always sang it during the Christmas Eve service. The sound of a packed church singing it while the organist played on the pipe organ is something that I think of every year. We didn’t just sing that song, we felt it!
Of course, the most famous part of the song is its chorus or refrain:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
The drawing out of “Gloria” through 16 notes that rise and fall makes it both a joy and a challenge to sing! The chorus is a Latin phrase that roughly translates to “Glory to God in the highest” in English. That is what the angels say to the shepherds in Luke 2:13-14:
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Here’s what I find really cool – this is an old song. So old that no one really knows who wrote it. It was first published as a hymn in France in the mid-1800’s, but it was being sung a long time before that. In fact, the chorus actually dates back to 130 AD! The bishop of Rome at that time was a man named Telesphorus. He decreed that all churches should have a special service in the late evening on Christmas Eve and around midnight, as Christmas Eve gave way to Christmas Day, the congregation should sing Gloria in excelsis Deo.
By the 3rd century this practice became the norm throughout the church. So when we sing this song on Christmas Eve next week, we will be extending a tradition that dates back to within 100 years of Jesus’s death and resurrection!
Here’s what’s happening:
1. TOMORROW NIGHT - 12/19 – ABCF Christmas Caroling – Meet at the Kreider home at 6:15 or at Ellen Ranck’s home at 7 pm. We’ll return back to the Kreider home for a time of fellowship afterwards. Bring along your favorite holiday treat to share. Please let Mary Lois know if you are joining in the fun.
2. SUNDAY – There is no Sunday School. The youth that are participating in the youth choir should arrive at 8:45 to practice. Children participating in the children’s program should arrive at 9 am for their practice. The Double Nickels have their monthly luncheon after the worship service.
3. 12/24 – Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at 7 pm. There are invitation cards to the service in the lobby. The Christmas Eve service has become one of our most attended services of the year…plan to arrive early!
4. We are taking our holiday break from Sunday School on December 21, 28, and January 4.
5. I will be giving some church updates during the SS hour on January 11. Only the children’s Sunday School class will meet that morning. I will be giving updates on work the elders have been doing on the church By-Laws, the building project, and some other items. After the worship service we will be holding a vote of affirmation for the 2026 Church Budget. Budgets are available in the lobby.
6. Scott Lees will be back to do the finishing touches on the renovation work after the holidays.
7. We are in need of more help at the tech booth on Sunday mornings. No experience necessary…see Bruce Fite if you are interested.
We’re going to give this another try this week - If you live long enough there will be a time when you face difficult circumstances. Perhaps you are facing them this Christmas season. On Sunday we will study the story of Ruth and be reminded of how we can find joy even in the midst of difficult circumstances. If you know of someone who is struggling in life right now, you’ve got to invite them to join you at the Bridge.
See you on Sunday,
Scott