OUTSIDE THE PULPIT: A time of goodwill, thanksgiving

Angels, from the realms of glory,

Wing your flight o’er all the earth;

Ye who sang creation’s story,

Now proclaim Messiah’s birth:

Come and worship, come and worship,

Worship Christ, the newborn King.  – (Hymns Ancient & Modern 482, verse 1)

By the time you read this column all of you would have completed your Christmas shopping.

Do not spend all of your money. Remember that the months of January, February and March are usually some very hard months.

Christmas is not only about shopping and eating. It should be seen as a time of goodwill and thanksgiving for God’s gift to the world, Jesus Christ.

The food side and the gifts are the traditional sides of it and nothing is wrong with that.

We must see the bigger picture of God’s gift to the world in his son Jesus Christ, who came to give light to all those who sat in darkness. Christmas is more than an account of a past event. It is a reflection on life built around the people in the Christmas story. 

Christmas informs us that Emmanuel, “God is with us”, has come to us and continues to be with us through all the circumstances of our lives. There is a tendency for us to equate God’s presence with prosperity, success, good health and wealth and when things are going according to our purposes and satisfaction.

The Christmas message challenges this point of view. First of all, we are informed that Jesus was born in a lowly cattle shed, not a palace, not in a hotel, not in a hospital or home where it was luxurious and comfortable, nor in the best of conditions. No, not at all. As we celebrate Christmas, may we commit ourselves to follow the example of Jesus in our daily life, guided and inspired by the Holy Spirit.

A blessed and bright 2015 to all my readers.

Christmas and New Year’s Eve services

The Christmas services for the St Joseph Parish Church with St Aidan are as follows:

December 25: 7 a.m. Procession and Sung Eucharist; 9:30 a.m.  Procession and Sung Eucharist.

December 31: The New Year’s Eve Service at St Joseph’s Parish Church with St Aidan will be at 11:30 p.m. It will take the form of Solemn Evensong followed by Sung Eucharist.

Programme

The St Joseph Parish Church at Bathsheba will be holding its Christmas programme at the St Aidan Anglican Church at Bathsheba, St Joseph, on January 4 at 4 p.m.

Concert

The Si Nomen Singers will present Joy Of Christmas in concert at St  Paul’s Anglican Church, Bay Street, on Sunday at 7:30 p.m.

Festival Of Carols

The augmented choir of the St Mary’s Church presents A Festival Of Carols featuring The Royal Barbados Police Force Band on Sunday at 6 p.m. at the St Mary’s Anglican Church. Admission by programme, which can be obtained from the church office or members of the choir.

Cecilian singing  

The  Mount Tabor Moravian Church invites you to a recital of Christmas music by the Cecilian Chorale directed by Keith Yarde on Sunday at 6 p.m. Host pastor is Reverend Dr Cicely Athill-Horsford.

Christingle

The ministries of the Calvary Moravian Church congregation present A Christingle and Festival Of Nine Lessons And Carols on Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

Sunset concert

The Holy Innocents Anglican Church will be holding a sunset concert on Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Church Village Greens. There will be performances by the youth from across the diocese.

Donations will be taken in aid of the Barbados Mothers’ Union Breakfast Feeding Programme.   Bring folding chairs and blankets to sit on.