Saturday, December 03, 2005

Advent Garden tradition continues for a congregation in Blacksburg

Jared Turner

Ceremony includes children lighting a spiral of evergreen boughs.

BLACKSBURG -- When a local Unitarian Universalist Congregation kicks off the Christmas season today with its annual Advent Garden, there won't be a manger scene or a visit from Santa.

Nevertheless, there is likely to be a highly meaningful experience for all who attend.

The Advent Garden is a children's festival held at the church in Blacksburg each winter to commemorate the solstice shift bringing the return of extended daylight hours in the spring. On Dec. 22, the days start getting longer.

The ceremony, which started about 13 years ago, has become a deep-rooted tradition for the congregation of about 170 members.

"We know there are some advent celebrations at other churches, but we have not been able to find a similar one to what we do," said service coordinator Cathy Van Noy.

The Advent Garden, started by Freya Burgthorsen and Dawn Coe, will begin taking shape this morning, when the sanctuary is decorated with a large spiral of evergreen boughs. The evergreens form a two-foot spiral covering almost the entire sanctuary floor and ending with a candle in the center.

The ceremony, which lasts about 90 minutes, starts when children are ushered into the dark sanctuary by older youths dressed as angels. The children carry battery-operated candles and place them in hurricane lamps lining the spiral. The spiral is decorated with natural images such as feathers, apples and skulls.

As the church's choir sings Christmas songs in the background such as "Go Tell it on the Mountain" and "We Wish you a Merry Christmas," the sanctuary is lit to symbolize the meaning of the occasion.

"There's just a special feeling at that point," said Van Noy, a member for seven years. "We just let our senses take in the sight of the light and the smell of the greens."

For the congregation's pastor, the Rev. Christine Brownlie, the feeling is one that sinks in deep for those in the ceremony and the audience.

"It's very peaceful to me and it's very transcendent," said Brownlie, now in her seventh year as pastor. "There's a great tenderness in this whole experience because it's focused on the children."

The service ends when the children, one-by-one, extinguish the lights. About 35 children usually participate. The Advent Garden uses them to help convey an important message.

"I hope that what people will take from it is our connection with the natural world," Brownlie said. "The story of the birth of Jesus is a time not of rushing into something but paying attention to what's important."

The Advent Garden: A Seasonal Celebration of Light is at 5 and 7 p.m. today at Unitarian Universalist Congregation.