St. Nicholas Day and Christmas

St. Nicholas Day is December 6th. The night before, the children left their shoes out, in hopes for goodies to eat (and not coal or a stick.) Many students gave me a treat that day.



It was a school day and Gary was still in the hospital,for tests. So these pictures were taken on the way to and from the hospital where I visited him. On the way there, the square was filled with children and their parents. Joy was on their faces.




There were several people dressed as St. Nicholas (who was a bishop) and they carried bags. They would stop young people and dig into their bag for a small booklet and I believe some other gift. The young lady at the far right of the first picture is in a fourth grade class that I am in twice a week.


On the way back (about 4:30 PM) the square is still filled with people. Most of the time as we walk through the square, mothers and dads are pushing their babies and toddlers in baby buggies or strollers. This evening, the square had several inches of snow covering it. There were many small sleds with toddlers that are being pulled through the square. I almost missed this one with three little ones riding.



The square has been decorated with beautiful lights. There is also a two horse open sleigh, carrying people around for a fun ride. This is St. Nicholas Day.










There are several church services for Christmas. The first was on Christmas Eve at 3:30 PM. I walked in with the choir at 3:15 and wondered if I could get to front of the church where we were to sit. The church was packed. There were two rows of chairs down the aisle, and each was occupied. The side aisles were filled with people who were standing. The balcony was packed. And the two sets of pews at the front of the church on either side of the altar are filled with part of the choir. Many families with young children attend this service.


The second service was almost as packed. It was filled with more of the regular church members. This service also had both singing groups. One difference was that Pastor Jon gave the message for the first service and the second service was Pastor Milan’s message. Although the Gospel reading was the same, each pastor chose a different reading on which to base his sermon.

The American couple who are from Vancouver, WA are in Germany visiting with friends during Christmas week, and Emily flew back to MN for Christmas with her family. This is the second Christmas for these people. We had planned to stay here, in Martin, for Christmas, so we did. We were invited by two families to have Christmas Eve dinner with them. We had dinner with Pastor Milan and his wife Zuzana and family.







After dinner, it was time for presents. Apparently, this is the time that the children get to open their gifts. The girls had gifts for their parents, also. Unfortunately, Gary had been fighting a cold and by this time he had been up, long enough. So we had to leave early. It was a wonderful Christmas Eve.


The next day, Christmas, had an 8:30 and a 10:00 Christmas service at the church. The first was more traditional, with no choir. In the second service, the choir had two different songs to sing. Also, the children in the parish had part of this service with many memorized passages and a couple of songs.


Brrrr, it's cold out here!


The next day was Sunday, and there was only one service. The choir did not sing at this service. There will be a service on New Year’s Eve and one on New Year’s Day, two on Sunday and another on Epiphany, January 6th. The choir will sing at these services.

Yes, Christmas time is a time for worship at the Evanjelica Church in Martin, Slovakia.





Tuesday, 28 of December, 2010, was sunny all day.



Wednesday, it snowed all day. It looks like we received 4 to 5 inches of snow. It is beautiful.

Merry Christmas to all.

Advent Sundays

On the second Sunday in Advent, the emphasis was the young people of the church. Two young women had requested that on this Sunday they be confirmed. The young people around the altar are the witnesses to this event. Later in the service these young adults sang some praise songs, which were appreciated by all in attendance.

Unfortunately, Gary was in the hospital, so he missed the young people Sunday. He also missed some beautiful snow. I took pictures for him to appreciate in his hospital room. (Laptop computers are a wonderful source to have.





Each Sunday the church is decorated a little more. The third Sunday in Advent was the day of the church’s choir’s Koncert. It began at 4:30 in the afternoon. The music was beautiful. Three of the five Americans at the Community for Christian Education (CCE) were in the choir. Jeannine came down with a very bad case of bronchitis and was in the audience with Gary.




The church’s youth choir sang with the adult choir for several songs.













By this time Gary is home from the hospital and is enjoying the sight of the snow in Žilina, where he teaches two classes of Conversational English.














The fourth Sunday in Advent is a very special celebration. The children come in with the Advent lanterns as they have each Advent Sunday. I noticed more “toddlers” with their mothers this time. The same young lady reads about this Advent Sunday as the candles are lit. The painting above the altar has been changed with a picture of the Baby Jesus in a manger.





All of the children go to the altar railing and are blessed by the pastor.
A young girl recites a poem. Then the CCE musical staff member,
Tomás, leads the young people in a couple of songs, complete with hand motions.




After the sermon, Eucharist was served to everyone in the church. This is mentioned because the Eucharist is not part of most services here. If one wants to share the Lord’s Supper, it is done after most people leave the church. Last Sunday, it had been announced that Eucharist would be part of this service.

Usually, the Eucharist is served at the altar railing. This Sunday, there were two stations on the steps below the altar railing. First, the pastor distributing the bread, puts a hand on the one being served the Eucharist and blesses that person with the assurance that their sins are forgiven in the name of Christ Jesus. The bread is served. Next the person moves to another ordained pastor who serves the wine.

The celebration of Advent was so joyous, now we anxiously wait the celebration of birth of Jesus.

Thanksgiving and Advent Beginning

Larry and Brenda invited everyone from our weekly Bible study group to a Thanksgiving dinner before we had our study. They were having two young women from the States, who were studying in Florence, Italy. They wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving so Larry and Brenda invited them to come to Martin for a Thanksgiving feast.

The Fasts had found a person that raises turkey snot far from Martin. The turkey they got was about 8 kilograms! There was only one oven in any of the buildings that could handle a bird of that size. So they cooked it in the oven downstairs in the kitchen in the Gymnasium. Brenda made two kinds of dressing, cornbread and a regular bread recipe. Jeannine and Gary fixed the sweet potatoes and Jeannine did the cinnamon and pocketbook rolls. People brought desserts, salad, green bean dish. We had no trouble feeding the twelve people there.



We had quite an international group. Four are Norwegian medical students, two Slovakians, a student of the Center for Christian Education (CCE) and a teacher at the Elementary School, and seven Americans. It was quite an experience for all non-Americans.

Then on Sunday, we had a wonderful first Sunday in Advent. The children (who usually attend church school at this time) came in the church. Two were carrying small lanterns.






The two children put the lanterns on the altar, and later the Pastor elevated them for all to see. A young girl began reading about the Advent Season. Unfortunately, our interpreter was not set up as she read, so we do not know exactly what she said. However, the rest of service (except part of the liturgy, which we have in the bulletin) and the hymns are now translated for us. This is something new for the people who stay one or more years.


After Church, we had our regular “after-church” coffee at one of two places that is open Sunday, on the Square. This week it was just the two American couples. As always, it is wonderful Fellowship.

After leaving the restaurant, Gary and Jeannine decided to walk to the Museum on Slovak Culture. The weather forecast includes snow for the rest of the week. We did not know if it would be open or not, and wanted to see the hours that the museum is opened.

It was opened, so we decided to go through it. As we are there, Jeannine’s ear picks up some Spanish being spoken. She strikes up a conversation and discovered that a Slovak, whose parents live in Martin, is telling his two friends (from Peru) about the exhibits. All three work in a Peruvian café in Bratislava. The Slovak has meet Emily and talked to her about her work as an English teacher here in Martin. He is planning to go to Venezuela in January 2011, to teach English there.



Jim and Paulo with Jeannine and Gary
Another example of how “small” this world is becoming.


That night it snowed. We woke up to 3 or 4 inches of snow on our windows and the ground.



Thanks to the Women’s Group at Saint John’s, we have some nice winter clothes to keep us warm. We thank you so much. Gary bought a coat with a warm hood, some wool socks and a scarf. Jeannine bought a coat that looks good with dresses, several scarves and some warm tights.



The children here are like other children, snow is fun:

There is so much to be thankful for!