 No, like this, but I mean it was all black. Oh, okay. It should be black, then. It should be summer. Here. Okay, so it's here. He kills me every winter. Oh, King, give me your script a second. This is supposed to be... He kills me every winter because he's killing me now. And then only because you kill me every summer. Okay. And then you have one more over here. Here. Oh, King, his only worth lies in the crown. He gives me each summer. Okay. I think it's confusing, but I think it's technically useful to win Christmas. Yeah. Ushering it in the water. Right. But we're okay. Because then it's right at the end. Okay. This one's yours. So yeah, you can take them out. Why don't you take them out of the van? Each in a head. Okay. Okay. But I'll put them there. We'll put them off. There's a small switch at the top. It's super simple. Take that crown off and let's get your head set on. Hello? I don't have the mic. Oh, all right. Okay. So leave it off. See you later. Let me get an order service. Now I don't see you. So you don't see me? I don't know. All right. All right. All right. So she said you were gonna build it there. So just take the drum. Hi. I'll bring him today. Please join me with number 387, which is printed in your order of service. Welcome to our celebration of the winter solstice. We gather on this night in the early blackness and deep cold of winter to be together in the darkness to appreciate the restfulness and the peace that comes in the dark and also to recognize that this is the point when the light is reborn gathered here in darkness. We recognize that this darkness is where we hold seeds of hopes and dreams to come here where we nourish our visions of love, joy and peace for all here where we shield tender roots of new life and new creations until they are strong enough to emerge and flourish in the light. As we gather this evening, may we look within ourselves to the warm dark and enjoy the wonders of this restful time. If you will rise now and join us in the calling of the directions, please turn to the east. Please turn to the brightening east, spirit of the east, home of the rising sun. We welcome you into our circle this night. We feel the embrace of spring winds stirring our minds. We hear the soft rustle of air through leaves. We feel life renewing itself again and again. Here knowledge is born on light swift wings. We kindle this fire today in the east and invoke the spirit of air. Flow within us wind of life. Let there be truth and knowledge. Spirit of the air, be with us tonight. And now if you will turn toward the blazing south. Spirit of the south, spirit of the noonday sun. We welcome you into our circle this night. We feel the blast of summer wind igniting passion. We hear the sharp crackle of dancing flames. Here transformation reigns. Here cleansing fires temper and renew. The sun at the noon of its majesty illuminates the world and ignites the spark of life within us all. We kindle this fire today in the south and invoke the spirit of fire. Flow within us a flame of life. Let there be passion and inspiration. Spirit of fire, be with us tonight. Please turn to the watery west. Spirit of the west, spirit of failing light of the setting sun. We feel the caress of autumn wind awakening dreams. We hear the ebbing and flowing of the sea. Here intuition reigns. Here emotion flickers in the depths of the dark springs. The well fills with the waters of the bosom of the earth. The cup overflows with deep wisdom. We kindle this fire today in the west and invoke the spirit of water. Flow within us a well of life. Let there be wisdom and intuition. Spirits of the water, be with us tonight. And now please turn to the frozen north. Spirit of the north, spirit of the star strewn midnight sky. We feel the bite of winter wind chilling heart and bone. We hear the crunch of snow beneath our feet. Here winter grasps the land. Here darkness reigns. Dreams are born and nurtured. The seeds of peace are sown. The visions of a new world are nourished. We kindle this fire today in the north and invoke the spirit of earth. Grow within us a tree of life. Let there be strength and courage. Spirits of the earth, be with us tonight. And now for our chalice lighting, symbolizing our center, please join together in the words printed in your order of service. We light this flame in remembrance of our ancestors who kindled bonfires on the barren hills of winter to beg the sun to stay alive, to give it strength for its return. We light this flame in affirmation of the light that dwells within each of us, the light that is part of the one light. We are not asked to look at the light. We are asked to look at and love and praise and heal the world this light illuminates. And now before we join together in song, if you'll take a moment to turn and wish your neighbor a very happy solstice. Story today, I'd like to invite Sarah Miller up to come help me out by telling this tale. It's just me for this one. This story is called Grandmother Winter by Phyllis Root. Spring, grandmother herds her geese as they gavel in squawk, hunk, and hiss flapping a storm of feathers. All through the summer, grandmother gathers the feathers, soft as snowflakes, bright as a winter moon. Come autumn, grandmother sows on her quilt stitch by stitch, stuffing it full of feathers. When the days burn down toward the longest night, grandmother shakes her feather quilt. Flake by flake, the snow begins to fall. When grandmother shakes her quilt, children come running from their homes, catching snowflakes cold on their tongues. Grown-ups build their wood piles high and scurry for sweaters and mittens and skis. When grandmother shakes her feather quilt, cardinals and chickadees fluff themselves up against the cold. Snowshoe hairs and weasels put on their coats of white. When grandmother shakes her feather quilt, earthworms tunnel deep in the dirt. Brown bats hang head down, bundled in blankets of wings. Under leaves and in hollow logs, morning cloak butterflies sleep. Below the milky ice of the pond, pickerel frogs and painted turtles bury themselves in mud. Minnows and sunfish slowly swim. When grandmother shakes her feather quilt, bull snakes coil in old woodchuck dens. In prairie mounds and clumps of weeds, jumping mice wrap their tails round and close their eyes. When grandmother shakes her quilt, black bears yawn and burrow into hillside dens. Children pull off boots and coats, tumble into bed to be tucked in. All night they will dream of flying over hills and making angel wings in the snow. Grandmother gives her feather quilt one last shake, blows out the candle and climbs into bed. The wind in the pine sings shush, shush. What does grandmother winter do then? Under her quilt, thick as a snowfall, warm as a flock of geese, grandmother winter sleeps while the days drift like feathers. And grandmother's geese, what will they do? Heads tucked under wings, they will wait until spring to gabble and squawk, honk and hiss, flapping a new storm of feathers. I invite you to enter with us into a time of myth and legend, to hear the tale of two immortal brothers, twins, as alike and as different as day and night. No one knows which of the two is older. I am. No, I am. For both are said to have existed since the dawn of time. In frosty darkness I am born, and in frosty darkness I die. Only to be reborn again and again, I rule over autumn and winter, the times of harvest, of aging, of wisdom and of rest. I am the Holly King, he of the... No, that's pretty impressive. But I am the Oak King. In warm luminescence I am born, and in warm luminescence I die. I only to be reborn again and again, I rule over spring and summer, the times of planting, of learning and of renewal. I am the Oak King, he of the... You already said that. Like many brothers, the Oak King and the Holly King sometimes don't get along. He calls me names. He steals my stuff. Sometimes they don't know how to share. Why should I share? I'm the king. For now. Sometimes they even fight. Fight? He kills me every winter to steal my crown. He's plotting to off me off right now. Only because you kill me every summer to steal my crown. Fortunately, even the most stubborn person can learn to get along with others. I'm not stubborn. It's not my fault. He's a twit. I'll be nice, only if he apologizes. Fortunately, even families that have been estranged for years... For centuries. Millennia. Don't correct me. For millennia... You... Can be reconciled. You wish. It begins with learning to recognize the inherent worth and dignity of every... His only worth lies in the crown he gives me each winter. And man, it's so easy to take it from him. Dignity? He's about as dignified as a chimpanzee with a banana. Take that back. It begins by learning to respect even those you disagree with. I respect him. And by respect, I mean low with every fibrous passion of a thousand sons. That was uncalled for. And once you learn to affirm each other's worth and respect one another, you can work on ways to overcome your differences. Oh, we have many ways. Yeah, really effective ways. My favorite begins with a truncheon and ends with a thud. Ways that do not involve violence. Oh. We're going to try one of those nonviolent ways today. We are? Do I have to? Do you want a turn at wearing the crown? He's just going to try to hurt me and take it. Well, it's my turn. He is not going to hurt you. He's not? I'm not? No, you are not. You're going to have a little contest. Like a duel? Or, ooh, a nuclear arms race. No. Oh, darn. You may notice behind you that there are two drums. I like drums. I'm really good at drums. Yeah, well, I'm better. Ha, you win. Your Majesties, thank you. Now, Oak King, please choose a drum. Why does he get to pick first? Because he's the incumbent. Not for long. Holly King, please select a drum. All right, let's do this. Not so fast. Ours is an interdependent world and those of us living in it should have a say in how our world is run. So I'd like to ask all of you to pick a team. Team Oak. Or Team Holly. You can participate by clapping, stomping, or cheering along with your chosen king. Oak King, you are the current ruler of the known universe. So your side gets to go first. We've so got this. Okay, so all of you who are voting for Oak, as he starts drumming, you can cheer and clap and stomp and whatever you want to show him your support. Now, the Holly King. Follow me, my good and loyal Hollylings. Okay, everybody for Holly, here you go. Get it up a bit. Now, boys, remember to take turns. Busted mid-defeat. Condition. Condition, mortal? Yep. In six months, you will give your brother a chance to win it back and you will not hurt him to get it back. So it's another drum battle? I can agree to that. Good. Now give him the crown. Here you go. All hail King Holly. Let's give him a resentful round of applause. Thank you for helping keep the wheel of the year turning and ushering in the waning season. And thank you for picking the winning side. We were just a tad bit nervous about that part. And thank you to our actors. And now if you will rise in body or spirit, joining in our next hymn, number 235. Like to welcome Sarah Miller for real this time. Circle round and I'll tell you a story about when the sun was born again. It was the middle of winter and the sun had grown very old. All year long, the sun had worked very hard, rising and setting day after day. All year long, the sun had fed everybody on the earth, shining and shining, giving energy to the trees and the flowers and the grasses so that they could grow and feed the animals and birds and insects and people. All year the sun's gravity held tight to the spinning ball of the earth and the twirling ball of the moon and the eight other whirling planets as they traveled around and around and around until the poor sun was dizzy watching it all. Now the poor tired sun could barely make it up in the morning and after a very short time needed to sleep again. So the days grew shorter and the nights grew longer until the day was so short it was hardly worth getting up for. Night felt sorry for the sun. Come, come to my arms and rest, child. After all, I am your mother. You were born out of my darkness billions of years ago and you will return to me when all things end. Let me cradle you now as I shelter every galaxy and star in the universe. So night wrapped her great arms around the sun and the night was very long indeed. Why does the dark go on so long? Ask the children all over the earth. Won't the sun ever come back again? The sun is very tired. The old one said. But maybe if you children say thank you for all the things the sun does for us the light may return in the morning. The children sang songs to the sun. They thought about all the things the sun gave them for growing the trees of the forests and the seaweed in the oceans and the krill that feeds the whales. Thank you for growing the lettuce and the corn and the rice and the wheat. Thank you for stirring the air and making winds that bring the rain. Every time a child said thank you the sun began to feel a little warmer a little brighter. Wrapped safely in the arms of night the sun grew younger and younger. At last the children had to go to bed. We will stay up and wait for the sun to rise again. The old one said. Can't we stay up too? The children asked. You can try but you will get too sleepy. The old one said. But you can each light a candle because all fire is a spark of the sun's fire. Put your candle in a very safe place and let it keep vigil for you as you sleep and dream of sunrise. So the children lit their candles and put them in a very safe place and each flame was a little spark of the sun's fire and the sun peeped out from between the arms of night and saw all the little fires and began to feel warmer and brighter and younger still. Early in the morning the old ones woke up the children. Together they climbed a high hill and faced toward the east the direction of the sunrise. They sang songs to the sun and ran around trying to keep warm. They waited and waited to see what dawn would bring. The sky began to turn from black to indigo to blue. Slowly the sky grew light. A golden glow crept over the horizon. Night opened her great arms and in a burst of brightness the sun appeared new and strong and shining. For in the long night the sun had rested well and grown young from the songs and the banks of the children young as a brand new baby born out of night once more. Everybody cheered and the children jumped up and down. The sun has returned. The sun is reborn. The people cried and they danced and sang to celebrate the birth of a new day and then went home to breakfast. And now we will have our offering. I thank you in advance for your generosity. We have come together from our many homes to join in this celebration of darkness and light. We have come together out of the cold to fill this place with songs and stories and the warmth of people willing to share of themselves during this glorious season. Let us now join together in filling this sacred space with light using our own energy, our power, our hope and goodwill to encourage the sun to return to us once again. Here in the darkness of our sacred space let us feel the warmth of our community knowing we are not alone for in the quiet shadow is the glow of life within all. Let us know in the darkness the gift each candle bears a small flame, a diminutive light yet the wondrous gift to see another's glow. Let us be in awe at this moment as we each light up a flame and the light envelops this room as hope for peace and goodwill fill this night. So may it be. We invite you now to come forward, light a soul's disc handle and help us fill this room with light once again. Spirit of winter rest, help us to enjoy your peace. Remind us to pause during this season. Grant us awareness, keep our gratitude fresh each day. May the songs in our heart be blessings and insights to us and to others and may compassion always shine forth from the depths of our hearts. And if you will rise now embody your spirit for our closing hymn number 57. Please be seated. May we be grateful this night for the spirits that joined us in our circle, the earth, the water, the fire and the air. Thank you for blessing us tonight and being with us as the wheel turns and as we have rejoiced in the darkness and brought back the light. May the love of this season be with you through all the days of the year and give you strength and courage. May the peace of this season be ever in you and bring you comfort and hope. May the light of this season shine in your heart and bring you happiness and laughter. May the joy that is in you be shared with others this night and always. The circle is open but ever unbroken. Merry meet till merry part till merry meet again. Blessed be, happy solstice and go in peace.