My angel has a broken wing
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2024 Blog #51
December 16, 2024
My angel has a broken wing
Sadly, my angel’s wing was broken, and I had to glue her wing, and part of her head, to get her ready for display. Had she been any other angel, I might have searched on Amazon or eBay to find a replacement angel. But I don’t want to replace her. I would rather glue her and continue to display her even though she will never look as good as she once did. She is not just any angel. She, and the rest of the nativity set that she goes with, has a great deal of sentimental value to me.
In the 1980’s shortly after I got married, my grandmother moved into an adult community. She, as was her way, quickly jumped into new activities. She was never one to sit and do nothing. She was a joiner her entire life and was not going to change when she felt the need to become a resident of an adult community. One of the first groups she joined was a ceramics class. It was soon after joining this class that she called me on the phone and asked me what she could make me in ceramics class. I thought for a moment and realized that I would be facing Christmas without a nativity display. I didn’t own one, and being a seminary student left me little surplus money to buy one. In response to her question, I asked her for a nativity set. Of course, she gladly made one for me.
My nativity set has lasted me more than forty years, but it has not lasted without damage. Over this time, a few pieces have been fractured. These breaks have occurred from a dog’s tail, from cats jumping into the nativity, and occasionally from grandsons admiring the figurines, but not being as carefully as I would have hoped. This latest break, from our move to Glen Rock, was one of the worst, but I will not replace it. It must be fixed. This nativity was a gift from Granny.
Every year I look at this nativity set, and I remember Granny. More than remembering her, I remember the early Christian nurture that she gave me. Whenever it was her turn to be a church greeter, she made sure that I was up early and dressed up to stand next to her as she greeted. When it was her turn to pass out bulletins, it was me who passed them out, under her supervision and scrutiny. She had a lot of expectations for me, but she also trained me to work for the church, not just be a passive participant.
I often wonder if I would have ever known what a minister calling was if it was not for her guidance and Christian nurture. Perhaps I never would be part of a church if it were not for her. When I look at the nativity, I remember many conversations that I had with her, and the many practical lessons that she taught me. She was, after all, a survivor of the great depression. She knew how to survive difficult circumstances and gave her a great deal of her wisdom.
This year at Christmas, my nativity will be a focal point of our new home. The nativity, like the Velveteen Rabbit, is not in perfect condition, but it reminds me of Jesus, as well as Granny and these are both people that deserve my respect and reverence.
I invite you, this Christmas to come and pay a visit and look at my nativity. When you do, please resolve to nurture young people in the faith in the same way that the creator of this nativity nurtured me in the faith. We can strengthen the church in the next generation.
May God bless us on this journey.
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