I was recently in Cleveland, OH, where my son is a pastor at a west side inner city church. We were outside, with a small bonfire going, beginning our festival of lights service. While we sang "This Little Light of Mine" a couple came walking to the bus stop and decided to join us. "We've just from the service at Mt. Carmel and it was full of music, lights, and incense. I am so spirit filled" said the man, "We can't just go home yet. There is no bus yet, so we'll join you!"
Previous to the service we had commented that there would only be a few people there. Three fathers with Boy Scout sons were prepared to light the fire. But you know, every year, someone from the community shows up, said Pastor Dean. Here they were, a married couple showing up!
We prayed at a local train stop because of some trouble there and then we went back to church and called out baptism, which is in the service. (Usually a person requesting baptism could celebrate her entrance into the faith at this point, which is an Orthodox and Catholic tradition).
Since the Lord is giving light all over the world, we prayed for the refugees and the persecuted. Our visitors reminded us that Matthew 24 tells us to treat a refugee as if we are showing love to our Lord himself. It was a service blessed by the Lord who called us together.
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