traditions

New Year Traditions

New Year Traditions

Even if staying up until midnight isn’t your cup of tea, it seems that recently especially, ushering in a new year has been therapeutic for many. No, our lives don’t magically change when the calendars do, but there is something cathartic about a fresh start. Some people have wonderful things to look forward to in 2022 like growing their family, starting a new job, finishing school, etc., while others just wish to end 2021 because it was hard. Either way, if you’re looking to have a fresh start in 2022, Here are some ideas on how to usher in a new year.

Christmas Traditions at Council Road

Christmas Traditions at Council Road

The first Candlelight Service at Council Road was in 1970, when I was six years old. Fred Wilhoite, our first pastor, was a kind, older gentleman, and I remember children like me were naturally drawn to him. The tradition of children climbing onto the stage for the Christmas story didn’t start until years later. About 12 years ago, Norman had a wonderful idea to begin writing and publishing our own children’s books for that service, with each child getting to take one home.

Halloween in Mesta

Halloween in Mesta

Our Mesta Park neighborhood gets REALLY into Halloween. We’re talking a full-sized zombie graveyard two doors from our house, an interactive Frankenstein lab down the street in the doctor’s window (complete with a skeleton popping out of a coffin to scare people as they walk down the steps to leave), and over 3,000 trick-or-treaters.

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Balancing the Bunny

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Balancing the Bunny

The Easter Bunny.... what’s not to love? A human-sized rodent, dressed in his Sunday best, delivers candy and stuffed animals to children on Easter morning. Not only does he come bearing gifts, but this bunny happens to have an abundance of eggs that he likes to hide in yards and bushes and.....wait...... what?



How Lent Changed Me

How Lent Changed Me

I grew up in a home and church that did not observe the Lent season. Easter was a fun and festive day of worship, a delicious meal, Easter egg hunting and family photos with my cousins in our new “Easter outfits,” but I honestly hadn’t given much thought to Lent until several years ago when our pastor introduced it as a season to be observed and celebrated. I didn’t have a context…

How To Get The Most From Your Hallmark Christmas Movie Experience

How To Get The Most From Your Hallmark Christmas Movie Experience

Merry Christmastime! If you’re like us, one of the traditions you look forward to the most is the return of the Hallmark Christmas movie countdown. Could it be the nail-biting suspense and cliffhanger endings?…

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