The month of November has flown by! And here, on the last day of the month we find the first day, for Christians, of Advent. As the years have gone by Christmas, which was always my favorite holiday has a child, has grown increasingly special. And Advent, this time of preparation and anticipation, is no doubt a part of that process.
Although this morning is grey and overcast, a week ago I was basking in the sun of Southern California. I was in San Diego, attending the American Academy of Religion's annual conference. The weather was great and the city was wonderful, the convention was also a great experience. I took part in a panel that focused on Disney (astute readers of this blog know that Book 5 is centering on just that topic), and I delivered a paper about Christmas at Disney (and said readers also know this is a topic I've discussed before as well). One of the points I raised was of the Osborne Family light show at Hollywood Studios. In the process of doing so, I talked about the Nativity set that kicks the display off. During the question and answer time, that topic came back up, and one of my co-panelists commented that she believed the Nativity to be something of an "afterthought."
I have thought about that comment quite a bit over the past week. And I have to respectfully disagree. First, for Christians, the Nativity is hardly an afterthought at all, but rather the center of the entire Christmas experience. Having one as part of the display, especially when one considers some of the light displays themselves, certainly makes a good deal of sense. But then there is a second reason: Disney doesn't really do "afterthoughts." Every portion of the parks are thought out, both in terms of design, as well as display and function. The Nativity is there because it is supposed to be there. And on this first Sunday of Advent, that idea should be front and center.
Coming home from the conference, I arrived to a short week which ended in Thanksgiving. Obviously, it was Thanksgiving in the holiday sense--complete with trips to see family and eat a good deal of turkey. But thanksgiving as well because Book 3 (Interpreting the Prohibition Era) is now out and (most importantly for me) my author copies arrived. As a professional historian and writer, it is always gratifying to see the final product and even more so to hold it in your hands. It is my hope that the book will serve its intended purpose.
Showing posts with label Disney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Disney. Show all posts
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Monday, December 23, 2013
This Holy Tide of Christmas
A few years ago I watched "A Christmas Carol" starring Patrick Stewart for the first time. I knew the story of Scrooge of course--thanks to Disney's version with Scrooge McDuck when I was younger and then having read Charles Dickens tale myself when I was older. And as great a job as Stewart did in the role, it wasn't his portrayal that stuck with me. Rather, perhaps for the first time, I was introduced to the hymn, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen."
Now, I'd probably heard and sung that hymn before first watching and hearing it on television. But it was the first time I'd really paid attention to what the song was saying. You can read the words for yourself here. What caught my attention that night, and what has stuck with me since are the lines:
To save us all from Satan’s power,
When we were gone astray.
Here, in twelve words or less, was the summation of the Christian message--that God so loved the world, a world He had created, a world that had fallen, that He had devised a means to save us. This is the story of why Christians believe Christmas had to happened, all presented in song form.
To sing those words, to believe them, is to be reminded not only of God's love, but also that sin is a very real part of the world we live in--and in order for us to be reconciled to God, we must be redeemed. Indeed, what else should we expect from a holy God--one who can not abide sin, but loves sinners enough to do something about it? We might debate what constitutes a sin, whether there is a hierarchy of sins, even the role culture plays in helping us determine sins (see all of this, and more -- including politics, television contracts and the like in the recent "Duck Dynasty" controversy). But Christians should be able to agree that sin is real. That it keeps us from God. But that God devised a means to take away its eternal sting. This then, is the story of Christmas. As the hymn relates:
This holy tide of Christmas,
Doth bring redeeming grace.
May that grace, that peace, be with you and yours this holiday season.
Now, I'd probably heard and sung that hymn before first watching and hearing it on television. But it was the first time I'd really paid attention to what the song was saying. You can read the words for yourself here. What caught my attention that night, and what has stuck with me since are the lines:
To save us all from Satan’s power,
When we were gone astray.
Here, in twelve words or less, was the summation of the Christian message--that God so loved the world, a world He had created, a world that had fallen, that He had devised a means to save us. This is the story of why Christians believe Christmas had to happened, all presented in song form.
To sing those words, to believe them, is to be reminded not only of God's love, but also that sin is a very real part of the world we live in--and in order for us to be reconciled to God, we must be redeemed. Indeed, what else should we expect from a holy God--one who can not abide sin, but loves sinners enough to do something about it? We might debate what constitutes a sin, whether there is a hierarchy of sins, even the role culture plays in helping us determine sins (see all of this, and more -- including politics, television contracts and the like in the recent "Duck Dynasty" controversy). But Christians should be able to agree that sin is real. That it keeps us from God. But that God devised a means to take away its eternal sting. This then, is the story of Christmas. As the hymn relates:
This holy tide of Christmas,
Doth bring redeeming grace.
May that grace, that peace, be with you and yours this holiday season.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Revisiting Christmas at Disney (Part II): Lt. Dan Edition
The older I've gotten, the more I've come to enjoy Christmas Eve services. While it is true that when I was younger, my home church didn't offer one (at least not that I recall), since college it has become a staple of the season. Sometimes it is the music that makes it so special. Sometimes it is the sermon. Sometimes it is just being with friends and family by candlelight. If Advent is all about getting prepared for Christmas, then the Christmas Eve service has become for me the moment that the season "gets real." This year, however, all that's ruined, because the bar has been set ridiculously high by Walt Disney and Gary Sinise.
Being at Disney during the Holidays is pretty special I think (and not just because I'm the father of two children in one of their key demographic groups), as I've related on this blog before. That being said, the Candlelight Processional at Epcot is just down right moving. There is an orchestra, what appeared to be three choirs (or at least three different robe colors) in addition to featured singers, and celebrity readers. At the Processional we attended, star of stage and (small and big) screen, Gary Sinise was the reader. As Mr. Sinise reminded the audience, this was a Disney tradition he was proud to be a part of (his tenth time serving as a reader), and one that was started by Walt Disney himself.
What, for those of you who've not attended one, is going on here? The music and singin is mostly (though there were to be sure a few more secular/popular tunes interspersed in the orchestral opening section) what you might expect at a Christmas Eve service, the most popular, well known hymns you can think of, played and sung wonderfully. At what are these readers reading? Just the Gospel accounts of the annunciation and birth of Jesus Christ. Mr. Sinise did offer a few remarks towards the end (a well scripted homily on peace on earth, the theme, if you could imagine of this Epcot event in the midst of the World Showcase, as well as some others about the origins of the hymn "Silent Night"), but most of what he had to say came straight from the Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. I've attended Christmas Eve services in churches that didn't have as much scripture read as what I heard at Disney.
And maybe that's what made it so special and powerful for me. For all intents and purposes my family were strangers to the roughly 1000 people or so that made up this "congregation." But for the hour we were together, we weren't just park guests. We were part of something bigger. And it wasn't Disney "magic" or glitz or glam (the Epcot facility is outside, with great lighting and sound, but minimal in the way of set decoration and effects of any kind) that made it so. It was the music, the songs, and the message, the very Good News itself. If the folks at Walt Disney have anything to say on this to churches, it might be that you don't always need the bells and whistles, or to be trendy or cutting edge. Sometimes, maybe just talking about the basics, of what made you you to begin with, is exactly all you need.
Although Black Friday is behind us, and Cyber Monday still lies on the other side of the first Sunday of Advent, I'd make a small suggestion to you dear readers. First, take a look at the Gospel accounts for yourself, let the remind you what the "reason for the season" is all about. But then second, if you find that you need one more present (perhaps in honor of someone), might I suggest Mr. Sinise's Foundation (you can link to it here), which is dedicated to helping the men and women of the American Armed Forces and their families. The bar for Christmas Eve services is now high. But the service that these men and women perform for their country, and the sacrifices they and their families make on our behalf, so that those church services can happen in peace, is greater still. They deserve our support as well as our prayers and thanks.
Being at Disney during the Holidays is pretty special I think (and not just because I'm the father of two children in one of their key demographic groups), as I've related on this blog before. That being said, the Candlelight Processional at Epcot is just down right moving. There is an orchestra, what appeared to be three choirs (or at least three different robe colors) in addition to featured singers, and celebrity readers. At the Processional we attended, star of stage and (small and big) screen, Gary Sinise was the reader. As Mr. Sinise reminded the audience, this was a Disney tradition he was proud to be a part of (his tenth time serving as a reader), and one that was started by Walt Disney himself.
What, for those of you who've not attended one, is going on here? The music and singin is mostly (though there were to be sure a few more secular/popular tunes interspersed in the orchestral opening section) what you might expect at a Christmas Eve service, the most popular, well known hymns you can think of, played and sung wonderfully. At what are these readers reading? Just the Gospel accounts of the annunciation and birth of Jesus Christ. Mr. Sinise did offer a few remarks towards the end (a well scripted homily on peace on earth, the theme, if you could imagine of this Epcot event in the midst of the World Showcase, as well as some others about the origins of the hymn "Silent Night"), but most of what he had to say came straight from the Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. I've attended Christmas Eve services in churches that didn't have as much scripture read as what I heard at Disney.
And maybe that's what made it so special and powerful for me. For all intents and purposes my family were strangers to the roughly 1000 people or so that made up this "congregation." But for the hour we were together, we weren't just park guests. We were part of something bigger. And it wasn't Disney "magic" or glitz or glam (the Epcot facility is outside, with great lighting and sound, but minimal in the way of set decoration and effects of any kind) that made it so. It was the music, the songs, and the message, the very Good News itself. If the folks at Walt Disney have anything to say on this to churches, it might be that you don't always need the bells and whistles, or to be trendy or cutting edge. Sometimes, maybe just talking about the basics, of what made you you to begin with, is exactly all you need.
Although Black Friday is behind us, and Cyber Monday still lies on the other side of the first Sunday of Advent, I'd make a small suggestion to you dear readers. First, take a look at the Gospel accounts for yourself, let the remind you what the "reason for the season" is all about. But then second, if you find that you need one more present (perhaps in honor of someone), might I suggest Mr. Sinise's Foundation (you can link to it here), which is dedicated to helping the men and women of the American Armed Forces and their families. The bar for Christmas Eve services is now high. But the service that these men and women perform for their country, and the sacrifices they and their families make on our behalf, so that those church services can happen in peace, is greater still. They deserve our support as well as our prayers and thanks.
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