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St. James celebrates Christ's coming

By Pamela Gates

Twenty-two different Madison-area churches are represented in the student body at St. James School, a K-8 school operated by St. James Parish in central Madison, in the old Greenbush neighborhood. The parish and the school put a lot of effort into celebrating Advent, the four weeks before Christmas, and the birth of Christ, who Christians believe to be God come to earth, in a 12-day celebration beginning the evening of Dec. 24.

Msgr. Tom Baxter, St. James' pastor, encourages his parishoners and the schoolchildren to "prepare the way of the Lord," to prepare their hearts and souls for the coming of Christ by doing good works and contemplating how they can welcome Christ into their lives more completely. A giving tree is set up near the church altar from which parishoners can take a name and purchase a gift for someone less fortunate. At the school, the children earn "Spartan bucks" by performing acts of kindness at school. They "cash" their Spartan bucks in for gifts for family and friends shortly before Christmas break. (The St. James School sports teams are called the Spartans.)

The schoolchildren also put on a Christmas program for their families, friends, and the parish. The church is totally packed for this annual event, in which everyone from kindergarten through eighth grade participates. Even the teachers get in with an act!

Shortly before Christmas, the Spanish teacher organizes a posada, a Mexican custom commemorating Jesus' parents efforts to find housing in Bethlehem the night Jesus was born. A procession moves from room to room seeking a place to stay, and music and Mexican treats are part of the event.

On Dec. 24, by which time the school has closed for winter break, a children's Christmas liturgy is held at 5:15 p.m. Children act out the Christmas story, and families provide the choir. The church is always packed for this event, too! The church is finally decorated with lighted trees and poinsettias; up until today, an Advent wreath with one candle for each of the four Sundays of Advent has been the sole decoration. The trees have been up, but they have not been lighted.

Midnight Mass, with much beautiful, traditional Christmas music, and two masses Christmas Day complete St. James' celebration of Christmas itself. A week later, Jan. 1, the church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family, and on Jan. 6 comes the Feast of the Three Kings, the Epiphany, which celebrates Christ's coming for all people of the world. All these holidays make up the Christmas season, a celebration of God's coming to earth as a little child, and his coming into the hearts of all his people around the world.

St. James Church and School will celebrate their 100-year anniversary in 2005. The parish was founded by German immigrants in 1905. St. James is a very active parish that among other projects supports the 150-student school, which is attended by a diverse group of K-8 students from all parts of Madison and even outside of Madison.

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