Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, was a beautiful day, and 79 mothers, fathers, boys and girls were present from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the crche to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus. Our hosts were Malibu Presbyterian Church and Malibu Christian Science Church. Associate Pastor Karen Greschel gave the invocation, Senior Pastor Greg Hughes gave the message. Instrumental presentations by children from Malibu Christian Science included Christina and Eva Post, Allyson and Heather Hirsch and Eric Chapman. Eleanor Linkbok accompanied the community caroling and the program closed with a stirring rendition of “God Bless America” led by Wolter Mehung.
Next Sunday at 1:30 p.m., we celebrate the fourth and last Sunday of Advent with the Las Posadas procession starting at the Civic Center with costumed Mary on the donkey, donated by Gena McClosky, and Joseph, the innkeeper, and the angels, along with Liliana Torsiello’s group of authentic Flamenco dancers. We hope everyone joins us to welcome the baby Jesus, to hear the Christmas story and sing Christmas carols along with Tommy Funderbirk.
Malibu’s Keep Christ in Christmas Project is having a wonderful year. All our volunteers have been worker bees putting together the various programs involved in the project. However, we are still looking for volunteers for next year. Please call Pam at 457-1792 for information. Our blessed Malibu contractors gave us a new crche this year and the Malibu Optimists Club paid for all the materials. Along with the fine work of Bob Sutton, John Miller and his wife in renovating the nativity scene figures, the crche is new and bright for all of us in Malibu on this, the true Millennium Christmas celebration. God bless all these fine people for pitching in to keep this wonderful 38-year-old tradition, first started by Mary Kuepper, our founder, of keeping Christ in Christmas alive in Malibu.
Our eight churches in Malibu all pitch in and sponsor the weekly advent programs and we could not do it without them. This year, over 300 children entered our art and essay program. The winners will be announced January 6 at Smothers Theatre at Pepperdine at or about 6:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome and the program is free of charge just as are all the project programs.
We are happy to know that we attracted the attention of so many people and we hope that those persons join us as volunteers so that their voices can be heard. This year, the scheduling of the Advent Sunday programs was changed in response to the repeated requests over the past five years of the churches and the participants that we start the program right after church services.
Most of the people that come bring small children who cannot stay up late. In response to these consistent requests, the Board unanimously voted to change the time to 1:30 p.m. We sincerely hope that everyone stops by to hear the inspirational message of Monsignor Sheridan of Our Lady of Malibu Church. In this, the first Christmas after the horrific events of Sept.11, we all need to be able to pray together and to know that God is with us and our country.
Pam Janes, executive director
Jeannette Maginnis, Jack Corrodi, Sheila Cox, Robin Kilroy, Executive Board
Keep Christ in Christmas