The Highland View Chronicles: Twas Sunday Before Christmas

On the Sunday evening before Christmas, our church has a mixture of fun and the serious all in celebration of Christ's birth. Various members sing songs, read poems, or do skits as part of the service. As part of our 2008 celebration, I composed the following poem, a new episode in a collection of poems I have written called "The Highland View Chronicles". For those of you who do not know the names in the poem, be assured I consider each of them dear friends. Nothing I have written should be perceived as being a "slap" against any of them.

The Highland View Chronicles: Twas the Sunday Before Christmas

Borrowing rhythm, thoughts, and words from Clement C. Moore’s “Twas the Night Before Christmas”

Twas Sunday before Christmas
When all through the church,
No one volunteering left
Carlie in the lurch.

The banners were hung
On the platform back wall
In hope that someone
Might give Carlie a call.

The members were nestled
All snug in their pews
While Carlie was waiting
For some hopeful news.

Mama House was worried
For her little girl.
See, Carlie’s job kept her
Life in quite a swirl.

Would anyone sing, would anyone act?
Carlie had not a clue.
There might be an upset member
Who turns around and sues!

When out in the hall
There arose such a clatter
I turned in my pew
To see what was the matter.

My eyes opened wide
To the scene in the back.
But my ears heard a sound
Which my brains did rack.

The light in the hall
To the group gave a glow.
It revealed the people
Who stood there below.

When, what to my
Wondering eyes should appear
But Jerry and
All of his family dear.

With this older leader,
Not so lively and quick
I knew in a moment
It wasn’t St. Nick.

More rapid than beagles
His family they came.
And he whistled, and shouted,
And called them by name!

“Now Brandy! Now Jenny!
Luke and Joshua!
On Erin! On Michelle!
On Zach and Anna!”

“To the front of the church!
To the top of the stage!
Now dash away! Dash away!”
Jerry did page.

As dry leaves that before
The wild hurricane fly
When they meet with an obstacle
Mount to the sky.

So up to the pulpit
The Kregers they flew,
With their mother Joann
And their father too.

And then, in a twinkling,
I heard from my past
The screeching of Jerry
When a song he would blast.

As I plugged up my ears
And prepared to cringe
I noticed that Carlie
Seemed to come unhinged.

Catrina played the keys
With such graceful skill
Her music even touched
My hard hearted will.

Though fearful I was
To unplug my poor ears
The song she played
Allayed all of my fears.

As my fingers did leave
Their previous home
The Kregers began to sing
Their voices did roam.

Throughout the auditorium
Their song did rise.
And I marveled as the scene
Passed before my eyes.

A miracle took place
As they each did their part.
‘Twas not with their voices
But within my own heart.

The song was beautiful,
A blessing to hear.
It was not the tune, but
The words in my ear.

The message of the carol
That they sang that night
It made the service simply
Perfect and just right.

The Kregers, you see, sang
About our great Lord.
They filled our hearts and minds
With God’s Holy Word.

“For in Bethlehem town
Christ is born this day”
Are words even I can
Find a means to say.

Carlie was glad, for
the Kregers saved the night.
Each of us thought the
Service was a delight.

Others followed them with
Songs of old Christmas cheer
And the hour passed quickly,
Too quickly for some there.

The pastor then concluded with
A few brief remarks.
Noting that angels had given
The first Christmas “Hark!”.

And then our dear preacher
Offered up a prayer
The service was over
And we were out of there.

But I heard him exclaim,
‘ere he left out of sight’
“Happy Christmas to all
And to all a good night.”


Composed December 20, 2008; delivered at Highland View Baptist Church on December 21, 2008.