The 5:00 pm Family Candlelight Eucharist on Christmas Eve will showcase musical performances by our youth, called F.R.O.G.S. (Families Revering Our God in Song), or FROGS. Years ago when Pastor Fritz Fritschel was an Assisting Pastor on the LCH staff, he always used frog puppets to help tell the Children’s Sermon. And oh, all those frogs had names which began with F — Felix, Fergus and Felicia were the ones I remember.

So even though I will be away this Christmas on the mainland, I have been included in the email conversations between Anna Womack and Teresa McCreary, (directors of the F.R.O.G.S. and both accomplished string players) and Miguel Felipe. Not only will my former organ student, Joey Fala, play the liturgical music, my other students, Nathalie J. and Jordan M. will play the organ during communion and the postlude, respectively.

We will also see the premiere of the Toad Quartet, consisting of Savannah M. and Max W., violins, Reid W. on cello, and Jordan M. on piano. When Vicki Gorman and her family moved away, her son, Mitchell was part of the Toad Trio, along with Reid W. and Jordan M., so I’m glad that the group has been reconstituted.

I will be very sorry to miss the Darel Stark family in their performance of “Little Drummer Boy” by Katharine K. Davis. Darel, of course, is a virtuoso violinist (and violist), Georgine is a fantastic soprano and their two children are following in their footsteps — their daughter is already an exceptional soprano and their son has rock-steady rhythm as a drummer.

If you are in town on Christmas Eve, the 5:00 pm service is not to be missed!