The Pastoral Grind

 (Originally written for The Baldwin Bulletin: Pastor's Column December 8, 2021) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore… (Isaiah 9:6-7) One of the things I enjoy when we get to this time of the year is planning some kind of special service leading up to Christmas. Usually, it involves a combination of Scripture readings, meditations, and (of course) carols. Something that has helped shape my planning is “A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols,” which the King’s College in Cambridge, England has been hosting on Christmas Eve for more than a century. The inspiration for that service comes from one that was planned