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An Evening of Carols & Ale

Items needed:

•A Song Leader

•A Source for Christmas Song Lyrics (ie. a carol book, a website, some printouts)

•A Fancy Drink: preferably a friend bringing some homemade brew for the season! Hot Chocolate or floats made with sprite and peppermint ice-cream are great options to enliven the dry, non-beer-ing households!

A few summers ago I had a chance to experience a great event. At a Christian festival called Wild Goose I played guitar and helped lead “Beer & Hymns”. It’s exactly what it sounds like.

A great micro-brew business from South Carolina provided craft beers and all of us, pastors and concert goers alike, pulled out the old favorites. We sang songs like “How Great Thou Art” and “Come Thou Fount” with Irish Pub abandon. It was a really special time of connection for me.

That winter I wanted to try to host something like what I’d experienced while back home. As the holidays approached I thought it would be perfect to change it from “Beer & Hymns” to “Carols & Ale”.

We broke out the songs people love to sing at Christmas time, mostly religious, but throwing Rudolf and Frosty in there too. And we asked friends of ours who brew their own beer to make an ale for the occasion- a nice dark, malty beverage to compliment the season.

So here’s a toast for you adventurous folks wanting a spin on caroling – May your beer be dark, your voices loud, and your joy be bright!

Almanac Adventure: January “Winter Jars”

jars

Items Needed-

5 mason jars
5 tags
golf pencils
scrap paper
twine

You are invited into a polar expedition. This adventure is, as always, to be tailored to your story and we are merely providing suggestions and framework for goodness to happen. Make changes as needed and be creative.

Sometime this month find a wooded area that is traversed by people, even in winter. It should be hidden enough to be an enjoyable destination, yet frequented enough to be quite public.

Create your jars: Write the following words on the 5 tags- Hopes, Dreams, Fears, Secrets, Prayers. Then put the tags in the jars so they’re easily seen. And leave scrap paper and golf pencils in each jar. Lastly, leave quotes and your own thoughts in the jars as well, as a catalyst.

Bundle up and head out into the cold. Bring a friend. Or family. Enjoy the sense of purpose that comes with loving people by providing them anonymous reflection space.

Hang your jars together in a place that can be seen from a path- not too hidden but not too obvious. It should feel as if they’ve stumbled onto something special. And they have.

Leave the jars there. Invite your friends and connections on Facebook and other media channels. Everyone loves and deserves an adventure.

Collect your jars after 5-7 days. If you leave the brittle glass out too long they’re subject to breaking.

Take some time and treasure the connections and thoughts left there. Whether poetic musings, crude vandalism or plain honesty, it all speaks to our humanity.

Keep the jars somewhere they can catch the light this month. Be reminded of hopes, dreams, fears and everything that comes with great beginnings.