2007 Sierra Madre Candlelight Walk Attendance Up  By Bill Coburn   Back to Candlelight Procession main page

Sunday, Dec. 16th, 2007

I have more photos and video that I will add as time permits.  Click on a photo to enlarge it.

While people in the crowd disagreed with Sierra Madre Police as to how many people were in attendance, they both agreed on one thing: attendance in 2007 was up from 2006.  Sierra Madre Police estimated the crowd at 300, but I spoke with a couple people that said they thought the crowd was closer to 500.  After counting the number in a slice of the crowd and multiplying that by the number of equivalent slices there appeared to be, I agree with the unofficial estimate, I’d say the crowd was closer to 500.

The first Candlelight Procession was in 1971.  In 1970, Pastor Bob Vander Zaag of Bethany Church had held a holiday concert in Kersting Court, with the church choir on risers singing hymns and carols for the people shopping in the local shops.  In a conversation shortly thereafter with Rev. Richard Anderson of Congregational Church, Vander Zaag suggested that as nice as the concert had been, it might be even better if local pastors gathered their parishioners in a procession through town.  Starting at St. Rita’s and walking down to Kersting Court was suggested, and agreed upon, and Fr. Gara’s parishioners were added to the mix.

Interestingly, there’s some back history that makes the evening even more special.  Back in about 1918 or so, some members of Congregational Church had split with the Church, forming Bethany Church and for many years, things weren’t always real friendly between the two churches.  Shortly after Rev. Anderson’s arrival at Congregational Church (he will celebrate forty years at the church on March 11^th, 2008), the two churches had a mass of reconciliation, and over time, Pastor Vander Zaag and Rev. Anderson became very good friends.  The Candlelight Procession, which was started shortly after the mass of reconciliation, is undoubtedly one of the factors that, in the Christmas tradition of old friends coming together after a long separation, helped the two churches to set aside their differences and work together with their common goal of serving Christ.

Each year, clergy from all the local parishes are invited to attend, and according to Rev. Anderson, this is the event that draws the most participation from local churches.  “Usually if someone doesn’t participate, it’s because they’re out of town, or ill,” said Anderson.  This year’s participants included Rev. Anderson and Pastor Ken Walker of Sierra Madre Congregational Church, Fr. Richard Krekelberg of St. Rita’s, Rev. Cynthia Crowell of Trinity Presbyterian Church, Rev. Virginia Barns of the Church of Religious Science, Dr. Phil Carlson of Bethany, Fr. Michael Bamberger of the Episcopal Church of the Asencion, and Dr. Wayne Walters of Sierra Madre United Methodist Church.  Fr. Pat Brennan of Mater Dolorosa Retreat House, who has participated many times in the past, was unable to attend.

The procession started at St. Rita’s after a brief welcome by Rev. Anderson and an invocation and prayer by Fr. Krekelberg.  The procession sings its way down Baldwin into Kersting Court, where it traditionally backs up on Baldwin because people don’t go west far enough into Kersting Court.  To those who stay down at the bottom and wait for the procession’s arrival, the excitement builds as the time for the procession’s start draws nearer, and there are always several children crying out “here they come” or “they’re starting” as they see the hundreds of candles begin to move closer and the lights becoming larger as they emerge from the darkened street.  As the procession gets closer to the business district, which is better lit but still dim enough that the candles stand out, people at the bottom greet and/or join up with their friends or family that have made the walk, and everyone heads toward the crèche, located behind the bell tower at Kersting Court.

After another greeting, and a rousing round of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” all the children in the crowd were invited to move to the front, so they could be closer to the crèche, and see as the baby Jesus was placed in the manger.  Each year, two local kids are selected to play the part of Mary and Joseph, leading the procession down the hill, and, in period costume, placing the baby into the manger.  This year, Sarah Duffy and Avery Cox, both of the Episcopal Church of the Ascension, portrayed Mary and Joseph, respectively.  The Clergy read passages from the Bible, with Rev. Crowell opening with Isaiah 9:2, 6 and 7 in which the Prophet Isaiah predicts the birth of God’s Son.  Fr. Bamberger read from Matthew, Chapter 1, verses 18 – 25, about the conception and birth of Jesus.  Dr. Walters read Micah 5:2 – 4, about Bethlehem bringing forth “one who is to rule in Israel: and Rev. Barns read about the travel to Bethlehem and Jesus’ birth, as told in Luke, Chapter 2, verses 1 to 7.

Dr.  Phil Carlson and Rev. Anderson each read a passage about the glory of the Lord shining on the Shephers, Isaiah 60:1 – 5a and Luke 2:8 – 14, respectively.  Fr. Krekelberg quoted from John, 1:1 – 12 about the eternal word of God becoming flesh, and the final passage of the evening, Luke 1:15 – 20, about the shepherds finding the baby Jesus and spreading the joy, was read by Pastor Ken Walker.

 In between the readings, the crowd joined together singing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” “Away in the Manger,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “The First Noel,” “Silent Night,” “Joy to the World” and “Go Tell It On The Mountain.”

After a quick thank you to the City of Sierra Madre, the Sierra Madre Fire Dept., Sierra Madre Police Dept. and the Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce for making the evening possible, the festivities closed with another round of “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.”