Simple Celebration of the Good News

For some years now, the small congregation of the Sun Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA)in Hailey has celebrated Christmas together with a simple homemade program on a Sabbath close to Christmas Day. No choir, No organ music. No candle procession. No nativity scene, shepherds, wise men or angels. No camels or sheep.

Church members volunteer to sing a solo, play an instrument, do a reading, or say a prayer. Amateurs all. But each participant sincerely wants to celebrate the miracle that changed the world in a no-frills humble Christmas service that will be at 11 am on Saturday, Dec. 21 this year. Everyone will be able to join together in singing a couple traditional carols and reading of scripture.

“We have connected with many people outside of our church family this past year or so through our activities with the Wood River Interfaith Council, our emergency housing partnerships with The Advocates and St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center, and in our task force participation with the Mental Well-Being Initiative,” explains Stephen McCandless, pastor. “We decided to invite anyone who would be interested to join us for our modest Christmas program and to stay for a vegetarian baked potato-bar and salad lunch afterwards. We value connecting and nurturing a sense of belonging in our community.”

John Hall, head elder, also points out that the first Christmas was not the way Mary would have planned the birth of her Son, but it was the way God planned it. “Simple. Humble. A small gathering.”

Hall also requests that those planning on staying for lunch after the program call him by Friday noon “so we can make sure we put enough potatoes in the oven.”