WESTFIELD-Area residents are invited to join the families of St. John’s Lutheran Church during the annual Advent Candlelight Dinner on Nov. 29.
“Because this year’s dinner is remote, it will start anytime at the individual homes,” said Linda Slozak, president of St. John’s ladies’ group called Women in God’s Service (WinGS), who is overseeing logistics along with the Rev. David Riley and his wife Vicki. She also enjoys singing in the church choir as well as directing the hand chime choir.
“I helped to choose the program and gathered the volunteers who would read,” she said, adding, “Our church is so very blessed to have the Rileys with us. Both Vicki and Pastor are always willing to help out in any and all events that the church puts on.”
Linda Slozak has her dining room table all set for the Advent Candlelight Dinner on Nov. 29, hosted remotely by St. John’s Lutheran Church in Westfield. (LINDA SLOZAK PHOTO)
Slozak said the annual festive gathering takes place on the first Sunday in Advent. This year the theme is titled “The Greatest Gift.”
Members of St. John’s WinGS is the branch of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League and is dedicated to promoting mission work throughout the world, nation, and in Westfield.
“We support two children at the Gbanga Lutheran School in Liberia, Shriners Hospitals for Children in Springfield, Wreaths Across America, Orphan Grain Train, as well as the Westfield Food Pantry, just to name a few of our projects,” said Slozak. “We also send over 1,000 Christmas cards to Lutheran chaplains overseas to distribute to the soldiers in their care.”
During the holiday season, WinGS members also donate a decorated Christmas tree to a local organization and next month, Mercy Adult Day Health in Westfield will be this year’s recipient.
For more than 25 years, parishioners have “hosted” a candlelight dinner table at the church by decorating it any way they wished – including with a lot of candles – and would provide a dessert for their guests.
“The ladies of WinGS would provide the dinner as a gift to everyone,” said Slozak. “We would include a program of devotions, carols and a presentation. Themes for the dinners have ranged from the meaning of the colors of the candles on the Advent wreath, and the meaning of Chrismon decorations, to Martin Luther’s Christmas.”
A close-up view of a Christmas village theme graces the dining room table of Linda Slozak. (LINDA SLOZAK PHOTO)
Slozak said the dinner is important to parishioners because the event “signifies the beginning of the Advent season which leads us to the birth of Jesus at Christmas. It has always been an occasion to meet in fellowship.”
“In past pre-COVID years we would have between 60 to 100 church family and friends joining us at the church,” she said. “We hope that our members will try to continue the tradition and hopefully we can meet together next year.”
Slozak is being assisted by the Rileys and WinGS members Eunice Recoulle, Doris Love, Susan Owen and Andrea Skully.
“Women from WinGS read the various parts while Erika Slozak filmed it,” said Slozak, adding that Erika also edited the video that would be available on YouTube.
In the past, Slozak said one of the highlights of the dinner was attendees singing Christmas carols together.
“Unfortunately this year we will have to sing them by ourselves at home,” she said.
In early fall, WinGS members knew that the traditional Advent by Candlelight Dinner would not take place.
“But WinGS wanted to continue the annual event even though obvious changes would have to be made,” she said. “Erika and I found this particular program online and, with a little editing, decided to find volunteers to read it and be filmed.”
While only Slozak’s immediate family will be around her dining room table on Nov. 29, she welcomes area residents to join church members during the virtual program at St. John’s Lutheran Church LCMS YouTube page.
“This year, due to COVID, only our immediate family will be around the table,” said Slozak, noting she will be joined by her daughters in decorating the table with a Christmas village theme, featuring houses, snow-covered trees, churches and a lot of candles, with the Christmas china and cloth napkins to finish the festive arrangements.
“In other years, friends who have been invited have said that it had become a tradition for them as a start to the season,” said Slozak.
