Article By
SMT Writer Beth Farrah
Dexter, Missouri - As Christmas gets closer and closer, it’s easier for us to get caught up in the hustle of the holidays and forget about the real reason why we celebrate Christmas. Greg and Lisa Mathis knew that there had to be a way to slow people down for a minute or two so they could share the story of Jesus with them.
While many families have the tradition of sitting together near the fireplace and reading the Christmas story on Christmas Eve, Greg and Lisa wanted to read it at the beginning of the December so that the meaning and the words are fresh in your mind as you go and battle the stressful Christmas shopping at the mall and the hustle and bustle of running around to each relatives’ house during the holidays. The tradition first started when Greg remembered his mother-in-law reading the Christmas Story to his two sons when they were younger and he knew he wanted to share that feeling of warmth and peacefulness with other people.
The Mathis’s have held The Christmas Reading since 2009 and they are grateful that it is still a wonderful and popular event, even with the community’s busy holiday schedules. This is the official fourth annual Christmas Story Reading and the hosts are proud to see the numbers increasing each year. Last year, they had 300 people gathered together and they hope to see more and more people from the community come out and celebrate with them in the years to come. It’s important that someone decided to reach out to the community in this way to share the light and teach others about the birth of Jesus and Christmas itself.
Although the special reader is a secret for now, you can come to the event to find out who it is. The previous speakers over the past few years were Jim Hall, Lydia Lovins, and Corey Mouser. You will also get to take pleasure in great holiday music and Christmas carols and enjoy many treats and warm drinks while you listen to the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke.
We hope to fill the streets of Downtown Dexter with holiday cheer. It’s easy to get whisked away in the negative and stressful things of the season but we would like to take this night to “Get Our Spirits Right” and find warmth in not only the fire, but in our families and friends. If the Christmas music doesn’t get you into the Christmas-mood, then hopefully the lights and decorations will. With a beautiful scene and great music, we hope that you find this event heartwarming and memorable.
On December 1st, the Christmas Reading will be held across from the Rainy-Mathis Funeral Home on an open lot at 130 West Stoddard Street in Downtown Dexter at 6pm. You can stay as long as you wish or leave as early as you’d like but the reading of the story will not last very long. You can dress casually but keep in mind that even though there is a bonfire, you still need to bundle up to keep warm.
The Christmas Reading is becoming more and more of a Dexter Tradition and we’re proud to call it our own. After all, what’s a better way to start the Christmas season by hearing the wonderful Christmas story read by a special guest right out of the Bible, drinking cider and hot chocolate with your friends, and listening to Christmas music? We hope that you can come out and join us for this fantastic and uplifting event with a night full of fellowship, prayer, and the true reason for the season.
