An Embarrassing Christmas Moment

It was surely one of my most embarrassing Christmas moments. It followed a gift of a Jingle Bell tie. Christmas Eve came on Saturday that year, so we had our family gift time that evening. My kids gave me a beautiful, if a bit gaudy, Christmas tie. It was black with green and red bells on it and when one mashed the middle portion, it played “Jingle Bells.” Observing my somewhat reserved excitement, my kids asked me to wear it on Sunday morning in the church where I was serving as Interim Pastor. I reluctantly agreed to do so. So on Christmas Sunday morning, I semi-proudly wore the tie, but unfortunately leaned into the pulpit during my sermon, pushing the magic Jingle Bell button. What followed was an interrupting, yet rousing rendition of Jingle Bells, picked up by my lapel microphone, and played over the church’s sound system. If I remember correctly, the next words of my Christmas sermon were, “The Wise Men brought gifts to Jesus of ‘gold, frankincense, and myrrh’ (Matthew 2:11) and fortunately, they brought no Christmas tie for Joseph.” It was one of my most embarrassing Christmas moments. Can you share yours? Click “Comment” and give it a try – but be brief.

Join me in praying for the following global concerns:
• Pray for Ignatius in Greece as he works with 25-30 Christian young people January 2-3 on vision and involvement in ministry.
• Pray for eleven university students who are spending part of their Christmas break involved in ministry in East Asia through “Go Now Missions.”
• Pray for New Life church in a city in Eastern Ukraine. Several leaders of the church have returned to the city and have begun meetings again.