Dear Friends,
As we journey through the days of Advent, many of you as I am finding, are being challenged by all the different messages that are daily being shared with us. Mine started last Monday when I joined a gathering at Abbeyfield, the care home where my husband is resident to celebrate the turning on of Christmas lights. This was accompanied by singing from local school children singing Jingles Bells, Jingle bells and what I long for Christmas. I then left to join the Advent Course in Church where we considered how each of us would make space for God in this season.
This weekend as we continue the Advent theme of waiting and watching, we also celebrate. our Patron Saint; St. Nicolas. Nicolas was a fourth century bishop of Myra in southern Turkey. The stories we know of him include his love and care for children, how he fed the hungry and healed the sick and cared for the oppressed. His generosity in providing dowries to three girls developed the tradition of bearing gifts to children on his feast day. We celebrate with a shared meal at lunch time.
Last Wednesday as we shared with our friends of the Dialogue Society we looked at the theme of Celebration from the Christian, Hindu and Muslim scriptures and on Tuesday evening we celebrate as guests of the Dialogue Society at a meal in Church.
As we gather each week at the Eucharist we celebrate. As we continue to make space for God, we celebrate. As we share meals and the love of one another we celebrate. Let us make this prayer our own as we strive to keep our balance between the call of many voices in these weeks to Christmas.
God, shepherd of your people,
Whose servant Nicolas revealed the loving service of Christ
In his ministry as a pastor of your people:
By the eucharist in which we share
Awaken within us the love of Christ
And keep us faithful to our Christian calling;
Through him who laid down his life for us
But is alive and reigns with you
Now and for ever.
Yours in Christ Daphne,
Daphne Cook, LLM