Christmas Presence

Our longtime Christmas Presence host is Ron Reed, the former Artistic Director of Pacific Theatre. Since abandoning his post, Ron has created three seasons of a podcast that goes by the moniker Soul Food Ghost Light (AKA Ghost Light Radio). It's a late night pirate radio show where the DJ spins records and stories, whatever he wants to play. Like Christmas Presence, but without the Christmas part. And, on the radio. Or, podcast. Whatever. ANYhow... Last year Ron did an episode featuring music and readings from Christmas Presence and its predecessors going right back to 1984. Here's a link... Soul Food Ghost Light: Ghosts of Christmas Presence Past Friday Dec 20, 2024 This week on Ghost Light Radio, bits and pieces from forty years worth of Christmas shows at Pacific Theatre. First Christmas: An Entertainment, Cotton Patch Gospel, Dreams Of Kings And Carpenters, and of course Christmas Presence itself. From Lawrence Ferlinghetti to Bone Man Slim, seasonal selections with a theat...

“Lights, please.” For half a century, it’s been one of the most significant phrases in American Christianity. A prelude to something sacred in an unlikely place: the Gospel of Luke, King James translation, as recited by Linus van Pelt in A Charlie Brown Christmas. My parents were atheists; I knew almost nothing about Christianity as a child, although I got the lay of the land when I was sent to Catholic school in sixth grade. Before that, my parents—especially my mother—actively worked to keep me and my sister free from religion, Christianity in particular. But we had our gods. Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny reigned over us, with great kindness and generosity, and if we came, eventually, to a crisis of faith, we dealt with it privately. My sister and I understood that our feelings about Christmas were very important to our parents. The brief—transmitted in the silent language of the family—was to be happy, because our parents had had terrible childhoods, and instead of working out th...

ACT ONE SPENCER Five Cent Piece CPG OGs Somethin's Brewin' in Gainesville   RON Cotton Patch Nativity ALLEN Goodbye Old Paint KAITLIN Is There a "W" in Christmas? BECCA Always in the Season RON   KWERKS Lights REBECCA + ROSA Charlie Brown's Inside Job, Caitlin Flanagan MICHAEL Beautiful Star of Bethlehem RON David Kossoff, Seth   GARTH Christmas Song (Alleluia) RON Joseph's Lullaby, Ron Klug MICHAEL Si Nous Marchons KAITLIN + JOEL C.S. Lewis, Father Christmas in Narnia     KWERKS Carry Me ACT TWO NELSON Heartbreak For Christmas GARTH Hello Christmas KAITLIN + PETER CARLONE The Xmas Files ALLEN Talkin’ Christmas Home Invasion Blues (by Wyndham Thiessen) RON Santaland Diaries , David Sedaris  KWERKS All That I Want RON   GARTH White Christmas REBECCA The Blessing of the Magi  ALLEN + LIETTE Magnificat KAITLIN Mary MICHAEL Mary Did You Know RON + SPENCER A Child's Christmas In Wales  ALL Silent Night CAST in order of appearance Spencer Capier B...

ACT ONE NELSON Jazz Instrumental CAROLYN Christmas Must Be Tonight REBECCA Gabriel, Frederick Buechner PETER Mary's Song w/ Lilia de Boer  KAITLIN  On Buses, Lance Odegard LANCE Familiar RON Keillor, Seven Principles of a Successful Christmas BECCA Always In The Season RON Magi reading + SHONA Mehguyver CAROLYN Is Bethlehem Too Far Away KAITLIN Mary  PETER Angels We Have Heard on High ACT TWO SPENCER Five Cent Piece LANCE Impossible Dream  RON introduce apprentices  KAITLIN & JOHN Xmas Files NELSON Heartbreak For Christmas KENTON Pretty Well Picked Over PETER Hung Fire REBECCA Blessing of the Magi, Jan Richardson CAROLYN Long Way To Go RON + SPENCER Christmas Drinks Party + Tolkien, Noel LANCE Alleluia, Christ is Born KAITLIN Rosen, No Safe Place CAROLYN Do Not Be Afraid / Angels We Have Heard On High CAST in order of appearance Nelson Boschman Becca Birkner Rick Colhoun Carolyn Arends Rebecca deBoer Peter La Grand Lilia de Boer Kaitlin Williams Lance Odega...

So there’s no safe place.  God, it seems,   might insert himself into any conversation,  any century.  Might settle in - any old place,  as he quintessentially did in the West Bank,  Palestine, small town called Bethlehem.  The story is - God breathed himself  into the womb of a woman, turning himself  over to her umbilical care, folding himself into fetal position, pressing and turning inside Mary, ‘til she, breathing hard, bore down.   Mary’s womb turned inside out - amniotic  water, gasping infant, placenta spilling  into the night, messy and miraculous  as any birth anywhere and not a safe place.   Did he know - he must have -when he took on  flesh and fingernail and bone marrow,  he would be at our mercy?   For us too, no safe place.  For you see what  he’s done - given notice how he, at any time,  might break into our conversation, West Bank,  West Coast, Bethlehem, Vancouver....

57 Elm Street Bethlehem, Pa. 11:51 p.m., December 24th   MULDER: Look, Scully, just like the other homes: Douglas fir, truncated, mounted, transformed into a shrine; halls decked with boughs of holly; stockings hung by the chimney, with care.   SCULLY: You really think someone’s been here?   MULDER: Someone, or something.   SCULLY: Mulder, over here—it’s a fruitcake.   MULDER: Don’t touch it! Those things can be lethal.   SCULLY: It’s O.K. There’s a note attached: “Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice.”   MULDER: It’s judging them, Scully. It’s making a list.   SCULLY: Who? What are you talking about?   MULDER: Ancient mythology tells of an obese humanoid entity who could travel at great speed in a craft powered by antlered servants. Once each year, near the winter solstice, this creature is said to descend from the heavens to reward its followers and punish disbelievers with jagged chunks of anthracite.   SCULLY: But that’s legend, Mul...

Buses are the only vehicles you find driving around with the interior lights on- rumbling through the city with illuminated strangers, light spilling out of the windows, melting the watching dark.   Do you find this odd? Surely TransLink isn't showing new concern, hoping to provide a few extra  moments for students to catch up on reading, are they? The driver does know where he is going, right?   He's not up there with a map draped across the steering  wheel-  was that Alma or Arbutus ? And it's not like we all have lots to catch up on and need to visit-  is that your new sweater ?   So, why are the lights still on?   They're not much. They feel faint and foreign,  almost invisible to our indifference-- yet in the midst ofthis absorbent darkness, light,  quietly resting on the tops of our shoulders.   It's 10:55pm on a Tuesday night and I can barely suspend the disbelief to admit this,  to hold the notion that we ride accompani...

Sun Dec 21 Evening  ACT 1 Nelson | Joy To The World  Kira & Brendyn | Soul of Man Never Dies Ron | CPG Jon | Finally On Our Way Kaitlin Intro + On Buses, Lance Odegard Becca Always In The Season Ron Heritage, Winter Wonderland Disasters Zaac Finding Christmas Ron The True Meaning of Christmas, Garrison Keillor Nelson Christmas Time Is Here Kaitlin Creche, Nicola Colhoun Kira & Brendyn O Come O Come Emmanuel  ACT 2 Spenser Five Cent Piece Jon Rescue Me Brendan & Shona, The Butterfingers Angel, William Gibson Zaac World Painted White  Kaitlin Making The House Ready For The Lord, Oliver Nelson Heartbreak For Christmas  Ron God In The Doorway, Annie Dillard Kira & Brendyn Love to Keep Me Warm  Ron + Spencer, Christmas Drinks Party, William Nicholson         Tolkien, Noel Zaac Oh What Night Kaitlin Mary Considers Her Situation, Luci Shaw Jon Magic  Ron Christmas Prayer, Robert Louis Stevenson

ACT ONE Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire | Mark Seven Principles of a Successful Christmas , Garrison Keillor | Ron All That I Want | Kwerks A Little Christmas Now, John Blase | Kaitlin Come To Us, Emmanuel | Peter Don't Be Afraid, Frederick Buechner Alleluia | Vania Levans Happy Holidays From The Dandersmiths, Johannesen | Shauna We Three Kings | Mark / Sean Wise Men Thanks Everyone, Mehgyver | Shona A Christmas Memory, Peter La Grand Light Breaks | Vania Levans Angels Montage | John, Rebecca, Ron, Kaitlin Angels We Have Heard On High| Peter + Rebecca ACT TWO Jesus Loves Me | Mark Moms | Sean  The Lights | The Kwerks Xmas Miracle Tree | Erin Hung Fire | Peter  Are There No Prisons?, Charles Dickens | Ron Take Me To The Alley | Vania Levans A Blessing for Traveling in the Dark | Kait Mary's Song | Peter + Rebecca  Improvisation | Sean + Mark Carry Me | Kwerks THE CAST (in order of appearance) Mark Glanville, piano Becca Birkner, bass Rick Colhoun, drums Ron Reed The Kw...

ACT ONE Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire | Mark Seven Principles of a Successful Christmas , Garrison Keillor | Ron All That I Want | Kwerks A Little Christmas Now, John Blase | Kaitlin Come To Us, Emmanuel | Peter Don't Be Afraid, Frederick Buechner Alleluia | Vania Levans Happy Holidays From The Dandersmiths, Shauna Johannesen  We Three Kings | Mark Wise Men | Sean Christmas Memory, Peter La Grand Light Breaks | Vania Levans Quartet, Tim Anderson | Ron, Phil, Sean, Rebecca Angels We Have Heard On High | Peter + Rebecca ACT TWO Jesus Loves Me | Mark Xmas Miracle Tree | Erin Hung Fire | Peter  Are There No Prisons?, Charles Dickens | Ron Take Me To The Alley | Vania Levans actor introduction, set lists | Ron Christmastime All The Time | Sean Lights | Kwerks Thanks Everyone, Mehgyver | Shona Mary's Song | Peter + Rebecca  Improvisation | Sean + Mark Carry Me | Kwerks * MUSICIANS Becca Birkner, bass Spencer Capier , mandolin & violin Rick Colhoun, drumsMark Glanville...

I once heard a preacher say, “Christmas time is all the time.”   He explained, because Jesus has come,  God’s presence is here with us forever. Emmanuel. God With Us.  So therefore we can commemorate Christmas any day of the year.  We can wake up on a school day in March put on our polar bear and penguin pajamas,  play a Christmas record from 1948,  make a gingerbread house, and open up a few gifts.  That sounds pretty good.  Christmastime. All the time.  Which is honestly, a mixed bag.  It means moms are perennially going through labor.  Shepherds keep having their well-structured night watches interrupted–  The wisest men are saddlesore from travelling  on camels halfway around the world,  It means flights are the most expensive of the year,   grades are getting turned in,   and all our new year’s resolutions from last January are showing up like Christmas ghosts with  no hope of redemp...

ACT ONE Jesus, O What A Wonderful Child | Leora  Three Fools, Mike Mason | Ron Come On Over To Bethlehem | Zoe A Blessing For Traveling In The Dark , Jan Richardson | Kaitlin White Christmas | Taylor A Keen Sense of Occasion, John Lekich | Rpm Celebrate Me Home | Rachel Christ Climbed Down , Lawrence Ferlinghetti | Ron I Saw Three Ships | Zoe Winter Wonderland Disasters, Stuart Heritage | Ron That Was The Worst Christmas Ever | Taylor A Blessing For Christmas Day, Kate Bowler | Kaitlin Let There Be Peace On Earth | Leora ACT TWO Put The Lights On The Tree | Taylor Emmanuel , Frederick Buechner & Madeleine L'Engle | Deb, Ian, Kaitlin, Ron A Time To Be Born , Loren Wilkinson | Ron Jesus My Boy | Ian Joseph's Song | Ian Mary poems, Luci Shaw | Deb Mary Did You Know? | Rachel Is There A "W" In Christmas? | Kaitlin Finally Christmas Day | Leora Christmas Drinks Party , William Nicholson  | Ian, Ron Of The Father's Love Begotten | Zoe Feast Days , Annie Dillard | Ro...

I      You there.  Would you mind moving so I can see the priest?  Thank you.       Never seen you here before.  Up for Caesar's census I suppose.        Don't mind me, but at my age, it's easier to ask other folks to move than to do the moving yourself.  You'll find out one day, though I don't suppose you give that too much thought just yet. And by the time you do, I won't be around to listen to your version.       The worst part of it is, there's nothing more to do.  It used to be -- like the preacher said -- there was a time for everything.  Everything under heaven.  A ti`me to plant, a time to heal, a time to love.  But that's all gone now.  What could I plant, with these legs?  I can hardly get to the temple anymore, let alone to the fields.  And heal?  My hands shake too much for that, even if they were healing hands.  Which they aren't. ...

ACT ONE I Saw Three Ships | Nelson Boschman Trio Apocalyptic Christmas | Allen Charles Dickens, Scrooge's Nephew | Ron Jan Richardson,  A Blessing For Traveling In The Dark  | Kaitlin A Musical History of Pacific Theatre | Ian Sandals and Starlight | Allen David Kossoff, Seth | Ron Maybe This Christmas | Nelson Mary Oliver, Christmas Poem | Kaitlin Bethlehem Light | Allen ACT TWO O Tannenbaum | Nelson Boschman Trio Casey Flanagan | Charlie Brown's Inside Job Winter Wonderland | Ian Goodbye Old Paint | Allen Tom Carson, Snow Angel | Ron Finding Christmas | Nelson Is There A "W" In Christmas? | Kaitlin Gifts of the Magi |  Allen Ron Reed,  Silent Night: Austria, 1818  | Ron Silent Night Robert Louis Stevenson, Christmas Prayer | Kaitlin other of these readings may also be posted on this blog. you can use the search function to seek them out.  * Nelson Boschman Trio: Nelson, Ben Appenheimer, Kenton Wiens  Rick Colhoun Allen Desnoyers Kaitlin Williams Ron ...

ACT ONE I Saw Three Ships | Nelson Boschman Trio Apocalyptic Christmas | Allen Charles Dickens, Scrooge's Nephew | Ron All Hail and Welcome | Michael Jan RIchardson, A Blessing For Traveling In The Dark | Kaitlin A Musical History of Pacific Theatre | Ian Annie Dillard, God In The Doorway | Chantal The Seven Rejoices of Mary | Jordan David Kossoff, Seth | Ron Light of the Stable | Michael Mary Oliver, Christmas Poem | Kaitlin Bethlehem Light | Allen ACT TWO instrumental | Nelson Boschman Trio Ready My Heart Garrison Keillor, The True Meaning of Christmas | Ron Goodbye Old Paint | Allen Tom Carson, | Ron Walking In The Air | Jordan Is There A "W" In Christmas? | Kaitlin Christmas Lullaby  | Michael Luci Shaw poems | Chantal Gifts of the Magi |  Allen William Nicholson, Christmas Drinks Party | Ron Ron Reed, Silent Night: Austria, 1818  | Ron Silent Night Robert Louis Stevenson, Christmas Prayer | Kaitlin other of these readings may also be posted on this blog. you can us...

For twelve terrible years, the Napoleonic Wars ravaged Europe.  Napoleon's troops looted and set fire to great stretches of land through a series of wars and military campaigns. Like much of Europe, Austria was devastated: half a million of its citizens were killed on the battlefield. At least another half million were dead from disease, wounds, starvation, and other causes.  Young Joseph Mohr grew up without a father in a terrifying time when French troops, occupations and violent crimes were part of everyday life. Parents feared to let their children out of the house, and struggled to even feed them.  Joseph Mohr became an assistant priest, and the year after the war's end he was assigned to his first parish. 1816 was known as "The Year Without A Summer." A volcanic eruption in Indonesia triggered dramatic climate changes across Europe: temperatures fell, and the harvest withered away in the ceaseless rain and summertime snowfall. In light of the failed harvests and...

Joy To The World | Trio + James Robert Farrar Capon, Advent | Ron Impossible Dream | Lance Jan Richardson, A Blessing For Traveling in the Dark | Kaitlin Soul Of Man Never Dies | Leyfolk Southern Magi | Ron When the Ship Comes In | Lance Maya Angelou, Amazing Peace | Samantha Forbes O Day Of Peace | Leyfolk Caitlin Flanagan, Charlie Brown's Inside Job | Ron Christmas Time Is Here | Nelson Jingle Bells | Trio + James Happy Holidays From The Dandersmiths | Shauna Familiar | Lance Garrison Keillor, Seven Principles of a Successful Christmas | Ron  Last Christmas | Nelson Travelers in the Dark | Angela Love To Keep Me Warm | Leyfolk Dina Donohue, No Room | Ron Alleluia Christ is Born | Lance Luci Shaw, Five Nativity Poems | Shauna, Chantal, Samantha, Kaitlin, Angela Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence | Leyfolk Ron Reed, Silent Night: Austria 1918 | Ron Silent Night Robert Louis Stevenson, Christmas Prayer | Kaitlin * Rick Colhoun  The Nelson Boschman Trio | Nelson Boschman, Be...

Go slow if you can. Slower. More slowly still. Friendly dark or fearsome, this is no place to break your neck by rushing, by running, by crashing into what you cannot see. Then again, it is true: different darks have different tasks, and if you have arrived here unawares, if you have come in peril or in pain, this might be no place you should dawdle. I do not know what these shadows ask of you, what they might hold that means you good or ill. It is not for me to reckon whether you should linger or you should leave. But this is what I can ask for you: That in the darkness there be a blessing. That in the shadows there be a welcome. That in the night you be encompassed by the Love that knows your name.

Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses. Flood waters await us in our avenues. Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche Over unprotected villages. The sky slips low and grey and threatening. We question ourselves. What have we done to so affront nature? We worry God. Are you there? Are you there really? Does the covenant you made with us still hold? Into this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters, Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the bright air. The world is encouraged to come away from rancor, Come the way of friendship. It is the Glad Season. Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps quietly in the corner. Flood waters recede into memory. Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us As we make our way to higher ground. Hope is born again in the faces of children It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they walk into their sunsets. Hope spreads around the ear...

1  “...the power of the Most High will overshadow you...”  When we think of God, and  angels, and the Angel,  we suppose ineffable light. So there is surprise in the air  when we see him bring Mary,  in her lit room, a gift of darkness. What is happening under that  huge wing of shade? In that mystery  what in-breaking wildness fills her? She is astonished and afraid; even in  the secret twilight she bends her head,  hiding her face behind the curtain of her hair; she knows that  the rest of her life will mirror  this blaze, this sudden midnight. 2 What next, she wonders, with the angel disappearing, and her room suddenly gone dark. The loneliness of her news possesses her. She ponders how to tell her mother. Still, the secret at her heart burns like a sun rising. How to hold it in –  that which cannot be contained. She nestles into herself, half-convinced it was some kind of good dream, she its visionary. But then, part d...