The Carillon singers will be hold their Christmas Concert in St George’s Church on Friday December 8th at 7.30. There will be a variety of music, traditional and Christmas, followed by refreshments. There will be a retiring collection in aid of St George’s Fabric fund.
A Christmas Treasury
Jonathan Jones is returning to St Mark’s, Alma Lane, Upper Hale to help raise money for Emily the Organ. He will be presenting a Christmas Treasury on Saturday December 9th at 7:00pm. Please come along for an evening with a Christmas feel, relaxed candle lit atmosphere. There will be a donations bar, raffle and some lovely music from Emily. There will be retiring collection in aid of the saving Emily the organ. Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start.
Carol Singing for Christian Aid
Come Carol Singing outside Farnham URC on 9 Dec from 14:00 for Christian Aid. Singers and collectors needed; can you let me know if you can manage some time sandcdakers@ntlworld.com. Also I`m afraid that cannot really continue as the co-ordinator of the annual door to door collection, as it requires someone either living in Hale or with a motor. I`ll be very happy to brief the next volunteer; it`s all straightforward, though a silver tongue is an advantage !! Thanks.
Book the Knitivity Set now
Our Knitted Nativity or Knitivity will travel from home to home during Advent. Would you like to host them just as the reluctant Inn keeper does in the nativity story? Booking can be done by contacting Kris: 07876 204665 / krislawr@aol.com
Candles of Hope
Amnesty International, Farnham presents Candles of Hope – An uplifting evening of words & music, film & art, celebrating the work of Amnesty International around the world, at St Mark’s on 2 December at 19:30 Free entry. Drinks & nibbles on sale.
Christingle
Come and make your Christingle at St Mark’s Church on 3rd December at 11am. If you can, bring a new toy as a gift to be shared with families who won’t be able to afford many toys this Christmas.
Badshot Lea Christmas Lights switch on
Come to at St George’s on 20 November between 17:00 and 18:30 to celebrate the switching on of the Christmas Lights. There will be hot dogs, hot chocolate and mulled wine available to buy. The switch on of the lights will be at 6pm and in between there will be music from the Sea Cadets, the School Choir and the Church Choir. We will finish at 6.30pm.
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An Advent Reflection
“…and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the Child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, the were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the Child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:9b-11
I think it’s fair to say that the majority of folk today don’t know what to ‘do’ with Advent. It seems to have become subsumed into ‘commercial Christmas’, the time of frenetic activity that we have allowed Christmas to become. ‘Advent’ only gets mentioned with ‘Calendar’, and most of those are filled with chocolates that bear no connection to what the Season is really about. In the not too distant past, Advent was observed as a penitential season, rather like a mini-Lent, when we call to mind our own mortality, and reflect on how we are through God’s word in the Bible. They can be challenging and uncomfortable words. However, there is a great undercurrent of longing and hope, pointing to the great day when God, through Jesus Christ, will come again and draw all things into perfection.
The verses from Matthew’s Gospel are often seen as justification for giving Christmas gifts to one another, one that our consumer culture has fully hooked onto, and hijacked Advent in the process. But…. take a look at those verses again, and notice that the Wise Men didn’t give gifts to one another. They brought gifts for the child Jesus, of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They gave the very best and costly gifts that they could. They were extravagant. Three gifts that symbolise Royalty and Priesthood, fit for a King and God.
Can I encourage you to join me, and take time out during Advent, even if it’s just a few moments somewhere in your busy day? Let’s consciously pause, and take stock of what we are preoccupied with during this Advent. Is it the shopping? Worrying about how your bank balance will fair? The relentless Christmas activities and services? Or something else…?
Join the Wise Men in your imagination, and reflect on the joy and wonder that they experienced, allowing it to turn into prayer. Take time out to let yourself be a precious gift to Jesus. No wrapping, no tinsel, just you: become preoccupied with Him. Let’s ask God to refresh our Advent: for us to ponder on the Gift who came; who will come again; and who comes to us now. And then, together, we can celebrate the perfect Christmas. Do share your thoughts with me, I’d love to hear how Advent is for you!
Craig Nobbs
Exploring Faith through Art
For Advent this year we are “Exploring Faith through Art” – a time of looking at some artwork on the themes of the Annunciation, the Nativity and the Flight to Egypt and discussing how it informs our faith. There will be refreshments, discussion and a chance to try doing some art for those who want to. It is at St Mark’s Church, Alma Lane, Upper Hale, GU9 0LT on three Mondays 4,11 and 18 December 19:30-21:00
To find out about either of these events contact Lesley revd.lesley@badshotleaandhale.org or 01252 820537.
The Orthodox Heretic
I have just started rereading this book for our book group, and whilst I remembered many of the “parables”, I had forgotten the introduction.
In it Peter Rollins explains that the purpose of the book is not to provide answers, but to pose questions (I paraphrase). And that the point of these questions is to change our behaviour, not to gain our assent to some ideas. He goes on to point out that so often people will assent to an idea, but then behave as though they don’t believe it; for example saying how terrible materialism is, but then living in a materialistic way.
Amen!
The Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale 