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Koinonia’s Advent Celebration During the Bavarian COVID Lockdown (II) of 2020
Back in September, when the irrational and ineffective COVID-19 inspired restrictions on public life were less stringent than they currently are here in Bavaria, our neighbor, Johannes Mair, had a moment of inspiration. We were standing around in the driveway in front of the Koinonia Christian community house here in Biburg when Jo Mair repeatedly counted the windows on the side of the house facing the street.
“24. Hmm. We’ve got 24 windows. Like an Adventkalender. We could turn the house into a living Adventkalender,“ he mused. That afternoon, I didn’t give the idea much thought but Jo came to the next house meeting with a detailed proposal for creating this living Advent Calendar using the house’s windows, having public readings, music, even a larger outdoor creche. We would invite everyone in Biburg and nearby villages and arrange it as a kind of evangelistic event, as well. The house leadership thought this was a great idea.
The practical crafts part of this proposal involved making frames and shades for the windows. Each frame would be filled with colored backgrounds and silhouettes cut from heavy black cardstock to illustrate each day of advent; the shades would cover the unopened windows until it was time to light them up. The idea was that we would hold an Advent service each night from November 29th to December 24th, when we would then hold the annual Nativity Play on the Koinonia grounds instead of in St. Andreas’ church, where it was usually held. Koinonia enthusiastically got behind the plan, the priest at St. Andreas approved it and we proceeded.
The program itself went like this: Opening song, revelation of which window would be opened that night (the little kids really got excited about guessing which one it would be), second song, a brief homily-like preaching, third song and opening the “Schatzkiste” (“treasure chest”) to see which new figure would be added to the creche that night. (A) Social distancing was still required, and people had to wear masks, but we could proceed. This all went swimmingly until…Lockdown II, the Revenge of COVID-Obsessed Bureaucrats, went into effect in mid-December. For a couple of days, as the Bundestag debated which new restrictions would be imposed, it looked like we might not be able to continue. Then the text of the new ordinances came out and…open-air church services were exempt. Hurray! We could continue…only now we weren’t allowed to sing. Except for the “cantor”, which on the 10th and 17th was Maedel von Aue herself. I backed her up on guitar on the 10th, bass on the 17th.
The services were very well-attended. This may have been a result of a pent-up need for social and community contact arising from the restrictions on public life here. In any case, it brought a Gospel message along with light and music into the town for 24 days that otherwise would have been a lot bleaker. Here are some photos taken by members of Koinonia, showing the “Adventfenster” on the house. I hope you enjoy them.
And after the crowd broke up, a shot of the whole house with all windows illuminated:
What a wonderful idea, and it looks very well executed! Merry Christmas!
Simply brilliant. And beautiful.
This is an amazing idea! If I lived there, I’d make it the place I ran by every day to see the new window, even if services were difficult to attend. (Are people allowed to exercise in Bavaria?)
I went to Christmas mass here in the United States, and they sang all the songs in foreign languages so no one could join in with the cantor, despite masks, social distancing, a giant (and mostly empty) church.
Perhaps it is wrong of me, but I have decided that I am not going to go to mass again for a long time. It is not a “communion” of people at the moment. I will watch my favorite bishop’s homilies online on Sundays.
I like knowing, however, that this house exists.
No singing. Wearing masks. While maintaining “social” distancing. Outdoors.
A member of the Bundestag should be forced to explain the science behind that brain-fart.
In public. Before a masked, socially distanced audience.
Bring your own produce.
Ja. Und wie.
I have been blessed by the creative ways that the Christian community has found to overcome the restrictions of the COVID overlords. I believe that many, who under normal circumstances would never walk into a church, are finding the Gospel light shining in unexpected places.
This is a beautiful idea. Make Advent Great Again! Seriously I love the liturgical season of Advent which often gets short shrift in our current culture. I’m thinking this might be modified for a school too. Bravo.
Wunderbar! I am in Deutschland again for Christmas, and would have loved to have seen this. Alas, I am too far away. I’m glad you all did it, and celebrated together.
We drove over to Aachen for some Printen, but sadly no Weihnachtsmarkt this year – there or anywhere, apparently. So a quiet Christmas here in Monchengladbach.
Absolutely fabulous!
If you have any information on how Bavaria’s restrictions compare to those of other German states, that would be interesting. Maybe in a separate post if not here.
Amsterdam should try it.
Marvelous!
Is it OK to … hum?
As long as you don’t breathe at the same time.
Yeah, we had to abandon our plans for a Glühweinstand in front of the house due to the Verbot on “public consumption of alcohol”. Danke schön, Herr Söder, Tante Angie.
Yup. And if you’re wearing a mask…who can tell the difference?