La Posada 2023
The Road to Bethlehem: Wesley UMC and La Primera Iglesia
Pastor Gerardo (far left), his parishioners, Mark Teagle, Hector Acuna, Brinn and Sir Henessey, Rev. John, and Bev Acuna.
By Barbara Hiura
LA POSADA???? What is that? It is a celebration commemorating the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem for the birth of the baby Jesus and is a tradition of the Hispanic Culture. And do you know what? Our church for the past several years even before COVID has been part of the UMC City Circuit and invited guests of La Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida de San Jose (the one 5th on and Santa Clara), our neighbors to the South, to participate in this beautiful and wondrous tradition. I mean, come on…WE GET TO EXPERIENCE THE NATIVITY and not only is an uplifting experience personally, but one which shares this cross-cultural celebration with our brothers and sisters down the street. Not only that…we are treated to pozole (a slow cooked pork and hominy soup) especially prepared by Pastor Gerardo Vazquez Padilla and it is “muy sabrosa†or absolutely delicious.
The evening began with a gathering of parishioners from La Primera Iglesia and our church. There were only five from our church, Rev. John Oda (Sir Hennessy and Brin), Mark Teagle, Bev and Hector Acuna, and Barbara Hiura) and the group from La Primera Iglesia were costumed as Joseph, Mary, the three magi, shepherds, and God’s Holy Angel. With Mark Teagle wheeling a music box, we sang English and Hispanic Christmas carols as we trekked from our church to theirs. Upon arrival, Mary and Joseph were denied entrance as they acted out what transpired in Bethlehem those many years ago. Upon entry, the troupe was greeted by 30 or so members of La Primera Iglesia and the story continued in their beautiful sanctuary. We sang songs in Spanish and English, and the liturgy done bilingually presented the Nativity story of Jesus’ birth. Rev. John Oda gave a brief message about the meaning of this Jesus experience and what this is for us right now and in everyday life noting that there are Godwinks surrounding us and everywhere, and when we pay attention, we are uplifted and Jesus fills us up.
Jesus is born. We celebrate this by not only the telling, but the coming together of our two churches by breaking bread…sharing a meal as Jesus often did with the people and his Disciples. We are a community of faith and our relationship grows ever stronger by these events and celebrations that we embrace. If you haven’t participated, take a chance and come out a few days before Christmas and experience La Posada with our neighbors and partake of their gracious hospitality and Mmmmm good pozole. We enlarge our community, we enlarge our heart with love, joy, peace and as we honor Jesus’ birth.
LA POSADA???? What is that? It is a celebration commemorating the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem for the birth of the baby Jesus and is a tradition of the Hispanic Culture. And do you know what? Our church for the past several years even before COVID has been part of the UMC City Circuit and invited guests of La Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida de San Jose (the one 5th on and Santa Clara), our neighbors to the South, to participate in this beautiful and wondrous tradition. I mean, come on…WE GET TO EXPERIENCE THE NATIVITY and not only is an uplifting experience personally, but one which shares this cross-cultural celebration with our brothers and sisters down the street. Not only that…we are treated to pozole (a slow cooked pork and hominy soup) especially prepared by Pastor Gerardo Vazquez Padilla and it is “muy sabrosa†or absolutely delicious.
The evening began with a gathering of parishioners from La Primera Iglesia and our church. There were only five from our church, Rev. John Oda (Sir Hennessy and Brin), Mark Teagle, Bev and Hector Acuna, and Barbara Hiura) and the group from La Primera Iglesia were costumed as Joseph, Mary, the three magi, shepherds, and God’s Holy Angel. With Mark Teagle wheeling a music box, we sang English and Hispanic Christmas carols as we trekked from our church to theirs. Upon arrival, Mary and Joseph were denied entrance as they acted out what transpired in Bethlehem those many years ago. Upon entry, the troupe was greeted by 30 or so members of La Primera Iglesia and the story continued in their beautiful sanctuary. We sang songs in Spanish and English, and the liturgy done bilingually presented the Nativity story of Jesus’ birth. Rev. John Oda gave a brief message about the meaning of this Jesus experience and what this is for us right now and in everyday life noting that there are Godwinks surrounding us and everywhere, and when we pay attention, we are uplifted and Jesus fills us up.
Jesus is born. We celebrate this by not only the telling, but the coming together of our two churches by breaking bread…sharing a meal as Jesus often did with the people and his Disciples. We are a community of faith and our relationship grows ever stronger by these events and celebrations that we embrace. If you haven’t participated, take a chance and come out a few days before Christmas and experience La Posada with our neighbors and partake of their gracious hospitality and Mmmmm good pozole. We enlarge our community, we enlarge our heart with love, joy, peace and as we honor Jesus’ birth.
The Nativity walk down 5th St.
Mary and Joseph requesting entrance.
And being denied!
After a lot of pleading, because of the Holy child’s birth, the hearts of all were uplifted, and entrance was granted.
Posted in Newsletter 2024-01-25