A Concert... and Much More
January 19, 2012
Mary DeGoede

"Christmas Lingerings" At Mater Ecclesiae College

It’s quite a unique Christmas tradition: each year, MEC students build a nearly life-size nativity scene in the back of our auditorium, with a different theme from year to year. After spending roughly four weeks building the “Christmas Room,” as we call it, we can’t keep it to ourselves! For the past few years, we’ve invited people from around the area to two concerts in the Christmas Room during the week after Christmas. The turnout has always been good, but this year, we decided to take it up a notch.

We held four concerts this year, two before Christmas and two after, and sophomore Juliana Carlin came up with a creative idea to invite people: Christmas caroling. I headed off with the pioneering group of Christmas carolers, late one Sunday afternoon in early December, to sing our way through the neighborhoods of Greenville. Everyone we met – even a Buddhist family who had just moved from China! – was delighted with this revival of an old Christmas tradition. The Christmas spirit is highly contagious!

More than 300 people in total attended the concerts, which followed the tradition of the “Christmas Lingerings:” a brief reflection on a symbol of Christmas, such as holly, the Christmas tree, and the candle, accompanied by a song from the choir. The Christmas Lingerings took place in the chapel, followed by a tour of the Christmas Room.

We students enjoyed our Christmas concerts as much as our guests; as our choir director Megan McCleneghen put it, “it’s beautiful to be able to help families to experience the true meaning of Christmas here with our family. One woman told me that this was the first time she remembered doing something for Christmas with her family; it’s always been such a busy time for them.” Amelia Watkins invited family friends from Massachusetts – the Steeles drove for an hour and a half to see the Christmas Room, which they said was a great Christmas experience for their four kids. God has blessed us with a richly spiritual celebration of Christmas, and we love to share it with others!