In fact, it was just this year that I discovered "Lights on Miracle Hill" at City Blessing Church in Walnut, CA, which gives some of the most elaborate residential and commercial lighting displays a run for their money.
For all the houses that synchronize their holiday lighting displays to any variety of jingles and jangles—enough to compete in or even win a reality TV competition—why is there only one church in Southern California that's actually gotten into the game?
Are there others I don't know about? (Yes, there's one in Sacramento and others in Washington State and Oklahoma, but where are my SoCal Christians at?)
But of course something like this should be hosted by and at a church.
Of course there should be crosses, along with the glittering trees and snowflakes and poinsettias and snowballs.
And of course that church should use the opportunity to collect donations...
...share some scriptures and parables...
...invite people to come check out a service sometime...
...and offer some photo opps at a nativity scene in a recreation of Bethlehem.
Everybody else has taken the Christ out of Christmas. And as much as I'm a stickler for the separation of church and state, Christmas is a church holiday that's been commandeered and commoditized by secular sectarians.
After all, if you've got a "Miracle Hill," you might as well light it up for all those down below to see.
Go tell it on the mountain (or, the hill, as it were). And wish every single person who comes a "Merry Christmas," regardless of their faith (or, in my case, lack thereof).
Merry Sunday Night, Merry Monday Eve, Merry Winter's Night, Merry December 24, Merry Everything.
As for me, I'll take all the blessings they got—at Christmastime and all year long.
Related Posts:
Photo Essay: Riverside's Festival of Lights at Mission Inn
All Lit Up
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