SSN 8 SN. St 2 Seer Ae LVS . SOS EES WHEN ATI SO SS ESS: SS ENS 7 RS CARTING HOME the Christmas tree is half the fun for Graham Davies, 9, and sister Karen, 6. Tonight it’s probably all decorated, awaiting a visit from Santa. (lan Smith photo) Remembering Christmases in Jerusalem A family tradition By REV. ROBERT LINDSEY Jerusalem — My first Christmas in Jerusalem was im 1939. I had just graduated from the University of Oklahoma in January of that year and come to Palestine, as Israel was called in those days, to learn a bit of Hebrew in preparation for study at the theological seminary. December 25 rolled around and on the 24th a good fnend Inred a couple of taxis and quite a group of us young people took the high road oul to Bethlehem stx males. actually The ancient Church of the Nativity. most of «© in the comtrol of the Greck Or thodox Church, was largely empty The Greek Orthodox celebrate Christmas on January 6 But mght next door is the Roman (atholie (latin) Church and it) was crowded with pilgrims and candles Tt was all very spee tacular with gold and wtite ornatencss and the ai heavy withamcense We crowded in Only with a mob of spectators and spent an cvening never to be forgotten partioularty by oo Bapust from Oklahoma Latte did J time that |} was to pass many know oat) the happy Christmas scasons in Jerusalecim My neat one came sis afters Thad returned to Une United States in 1940 my theological faoaswille Kentucky had two children We were nwasting our third youngster and my young and beautiful years later mnarncd Completed studies an and wife looked ever so much like the mother of Jesus Phe year was filled with getting settled ino the pastorate of the litthe West Jerusalem Church Vhis was two years before Israc! declared herself an in dependent Jewish state The church was and still is the heart of the Jewish sechhon of Jerusalom As Christmas ap proached in 1946 our Jewish neighbors in the street and say next Baptist located inp newer would mect me “Noon vweowall be Christmas for you won tat?” My wife Margaret aud [| had decided carly in OV tober Chat we would nel need te make much of the cclebrations simee we wete ome oof the few © teistian families having in the roe tp ta boc vare tae oe ocd Bat bas was mot to be Again and again our Jewish frocreds sand | Wall yeou amvate ike tos yout ( hrastmas celebrations? Whit ccsabed weosay’ Wei hack to make quite a bitof Christmas Oat Jewish aecaghbdrs demand cdat! Ddarvacd crane otidel had a ode st then three years old Isttle made red smowsuil oso we him Santa Claus and he choroughly enyoyed toddl- ing over to the Christmas tree in the big hving room atl the church and distnbuting the presents Lenore was almost two and Barbara not yet one Margaret and I eget pretty semtimental when we think of that Christmas Soon afterward. Jerusalem was divided Since we lived on the west side. getting to Bethlehem meant going to the Old City and taking o cur custous route of some 18 miles to visit the Church of the Nativity Most) of church members ticipants at our and par services could not get Jordanian permission to cross the lanes to make that trip So we began » hitthe trad: that lasted nearly 20 dunng the penod when Israch soldiers guard thon yocars edoa hoe runniag north and south through the city aod Jordanian soldvers stood with mfles itn hand on (he opposite side oof We started filling up our car and no mans land a tani or two ond taking our Kib yust four Bethiebem wonhd church people out to buts Ramat Rachel miabes from and there we stand oon C bbeastenas bac looking ao ross the ticlds at the htthe hiphts of Bethlehem wonder ing when we would cvet again be able to go freely to Bethichem at Christmastime Often our hit Ue group sang Christmas carols as we stood cupping our ears to hear the church bells clanging in Bethlehem so far away After the Six Day War in 196? Jerusalem Was reunified and remains one city today All Chinstians have been able to freely celebrate Christmas in Bethliehem’s Manger Square and thousands do. including the many choirs which flock to Isracl every Chinstmas to fill the square with the sound of carols As the years went by. the Lindsey family welcomed two more little boys and a4 final sturdy flitthe girl Somchow we always had our best tumes when the sex children and an occasional visiting from grandparcnt overseas satin the parhour hghted Chinstmas tree and we exchanged gifts next the the children came of age and flew away One by one to the Lonited States for col lege Some manned there and others came back te. Jerusalem: to marry os setup Just housckeeping ow OE oldest and second bays are here nee martecd and have betwcen girl Ioeb with ws tn cluidren lhe bic lives sexcral thea boardry Jerusalem and dhaws preetty pre tauren on olive wood wi 24 Phe church ts more bust inp aow than io was in 1946 so there ts a lot of work ain volved wn She prepnriog feos Chnstmas Last year, a night or two before Christmas, our expanded chapel filled with nearly 200 people Afterwards, they wandered yoyfully through the streets of West Jerusalem and into the Old City for services in the traditional churches some not ll midnight) Many non <*hristian Isracts joued them for Israchs love music About a thousand Fure Chris Jerusalem pean and Amerncan fians = hive in nowadays and there are nearly seven thousand Arab Christians For Chnstmas 19RO. several thousand visiting Christian tounsts will swell the number tlans al of Chris celebrations It should be exciting But | capect the happiest moments for the family will Lindsey be around the Christmas tree in our apart mentin Jerusalem as three of children and ther families Celebrate with us OUE FREE TICKETS The all new ... 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