By Mike Henderson

Special to the Chronicle

A couple of Christmases ago Jesus was missing from my church. Actually he wasn’t. I saw (and see) him every day here in the people who walk through our doors. I see their love, care, work, concern and see Jesus. I hear prayers, words of encouragement, sighs and songs, and hear Jesus in them. I feel him in the hands that grasp mine, in the arms that hold children and help those in need. Jesus was not missing from Highland Park United Methodist Church where I am now the pastor. But a Jesus was missing. Our ceramic crèche in the lobby has been used for several years. When we decorated the church for Advent, the crèche – a fancy word for manger scene – was put up, but without Jesus. At first I thought they were waiting until Christmas to add the baby. My strict liturgical professors in seminary would be proud! But it turns out that the ceramic Jesus in the ceramic manger was not with the set. Church members set it up in hopes that someone would find Jesus and put him back in the scene. That year, no Jesus. He may have been broken, or misplaced, or someone borrowed him for something and forgot to return him. But whatever the reason, we had no Jesus. The animals, wise men, and shepherds were all arranged in a semi-circle, looking to the center, where there was …. nothing. People began putting things in the center, not wanting the space empty. It was interesting to see what they put. A white rose from the altar was there for a while. It’s beautiful but not Jesus. Someone put a candy dish there. It’s sweet and fun but still not Jesus. Someone even put a box of Kleenex there. Definitely not Jesus. The manger scene without Jesus is not quite right. Christmas for many of us has become like that. We may not have lost Jesus but we’ve put something else in his place. It may be the beauty of the season, the decorations, lights, candles and wonderful music, both sacred and secular. Like the rose, it doesn’t quite fill the spot. Or it may be the sweets. Gifts and parties, dressing up in beautiful bright clothes, Santa Claus and Christmas movies, candy and delicious food. We enjoy every bit of it, like the candy in the dish, but it still isn’t quite right. Or it may the sentimental things. Families gathering around the table, visits to relatives and friends, singing the old familiar carols and songs. It may bring a tear or two to our eyes, and we may reach for the Kleenex (which I find myself doing a lot these days), but it isn’t Jesus. Without Jesus, it’s not quite right. Nothing else can really fill that spot. I hope to see you this Christmas, but if I don’t, let me wish you the best Christmas ever, one where Jesus is in the middle. Because I want yours to be just right.

Rev. Michael Henderson is former pastor of Cayce United Methodist Church and now lives in Florence.