Christmas Carols

I couldn't sleep last night. Like an old movie, my mind kept rewinding to an event that happened three years ago. Greg and I were on our very first trip to Lyon to explore ministry opportunities, and one event in particular solidly changed the course of our future for good.

That event was the annual International Christian Community of Lyon's Christmas Carols service.

Jet-lagged and disoriented, we arrived at the service not knowing quiet what to expect. We knew the ICCL consisted of just a handful of families, so to see hundreds of people pour into an 17th century church on a cold, rainy evening was exciting to say the least. The service itself was fun, festive, and family-like. People of varying ages and cultures enthusiastically sang traditional carols together, many doing so in broken, heavily accented English. I vividly remember sitting towards the back of the church, taking it all in, with a wide grin on my face. I recall thinking that Christmas brings out the best in people. Example: a very classy elderly French lady sat next to me, and I remember her literally jumping to her feet and singing loudly during the French verses of an international rendering of "The 12 days of Christmas." That would be considered very "un-French" like behavior on a normal night, but this night was special.

Fast-forward the memories three years, to today. We now live in this beautiful city, and we're on the eve of the annual Carols service once again. For those of you who reside in or near Lyon, please join us! It's this Sunday, December 1 at 4:00 pm at Temple du Change in Vieux Lyon. Warm up your voice and be sure to bring your Christmas cheer!