Churches celebrating in new ways
Living Nativity scenes, Zoom services among observances this year
It seems natural that Troy’s Brunswick Church would have a special Christmas event for animal lovers.
Brunswick Church was born on a farm in 1809 with its first worship services held inside a barn. Now, on Dec. 20 from 2 to 4 p.m., the congregation will host a living Nativity scene with humans and live animals to tell the story of Jesus being born in a stable. The Nativity will play out in the parking lot.
While the pandemic is keeping many loved ones apart this Christmas, area churches are creating meaningful and memorable celebrations. Some allow worshippers to attend in-person, but seating is usually limited so check websites for details on how to reserve seats or access Zoom.
The North Chatham United Methodist Church will host a Christmas Eve drive-thru tree trimming party that will also stock the church’s food pantry. Luminaries will line the road through the hamlet leading visitors to the church where four Christmas trees wait on the front lawn. From 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., everyone is invited to come to the lawn and hang a homemade paper ornament (no plastic or metal) on a tree and place a gift for the pantry beneath it.
Attendees are welcome to inscribe the name of a loved one who died this year onto an ornament. Join church carolers via Zoom at 7 p.m. albany’s Macedonia Baptist is known for its activism and championship of social justice. Its Christmas Zoom service this Sunday at 11 a.m. will be presented by its music and arts ministry, which includes a children’s choir, a men’s choir, an intergenerational dance troupe, a chamber orchestra and a theatrical ensemble.
The Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Americas was built more than 100 years ago by Irish immigrants and has been welcoming generations of new Americans who come here from all over the world. It offers a bilingual (English and Spanish) Christmas Eve service at 5 p.m. Christmas Mass in English is 9:30 a.m. followed by Spanish language mass at noon.
The 19th century stained glass windows are glorious, and one even offers a rare glimpse of a teenage Jesus. A visit to this beautiful and friendly church is an inspiring experience any time of the year. Do be aware that 120 is the maximum number of Mass attendees who can be seated in order to obey social distancing guidelines.
In autumn, Gilead Lutheran Church could worship outside the building in a postcard pretty setting. The Center Brunswick church (established in 1764) sits atop a hill overlooking adjacent farm fields and a pond. Ducks would often waddle up to listen. The congregation will brave the winter weather Christmas Eve for carols at 4 p.m. in the parking lot. The 8 p.m. Christmas Eve service is indoors where a frost-white tree is decked with red and blue ornaments to honor the U.S. military. Attendees can donate a gift to Albany ’s Miracle Center for veterans ( laundry detergent, personal hygiene items always needed).
Albany’s Metropolitan New Testament Mission Baptist helps the community all year, from holding day camp for kids to job training for adults. At Christmas, Metropolitan participates in the Angel Tree with members buying gifts for a child who has one or more parents in prison.
Sparkling with icons and candles, St. Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Church is as compassionate as it is beautiful. It is a Family Promise participant, hosting homeless families and providing friendship, comfy beds in a quiet, safe place and hot meals. To help pay for those good works, St. Sophia’s has a big annual bake sale of homemade Greek treats.
Legend says vasilopita, or New Year’s bread, brings luck to whoever eats it on January 1, especially the person whose slice contains a quarter. (It’s like getting the wee plastic baby baked into a Mardi Gras king cake). Vasilopita will be made with organic ingredients according to St. Sophia’s recipe. Order on St. Sophia’s website by Dec. 22 then pick loaves up at Bountiful Bread in Stuyvesant Plaza on the 27th and 28th.
Like most churches, St. Mary’s in Glens Falls permits those who reserve seats to attend Christmas services. Others can watch via Zoom. This week, St. Mary’s distributed luminary kits in a drive-thru giveaway. Neighbors build their own lanterns, light them then place their luminaries on their front steps at twilight on Christmas Eve.
The luminaries are meant as a reminder of John 1: 4-5, verses appropriate for the end of a dark, disturbing year; “In him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and darkness has not yet overcome it.”