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Thee Advent candles and the Christ candle in an Advent wreath Image courtesy of Gualberto107 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
It has been over a month since I last posted. Christmas was still two weeks away. Since then I have been busy, very busy, and even worn out by all the busyness that comes with the festive season, especially for church pastors. Here I am going into mid-January, and still I am recuperating; yet at the same time I am still savouring this special season of the Christian calendar that covers Advent, Christmas and the Twelve Days of Christmas, and Epiphany. The season refreshes and vitalises my soul even though my body is tired from all the Christmas activities and obligations in which I was involved.
Last Christmas was my first Christmas at St Fergus Parish Church. Last year I gently introduced Advent into our Sunday worship services. Advent is the first season of a new Christian year. It includes the four Sundays immediately preceding Christmas Day. For Christians, it is a time of preparation for the celebration of Jesus' birth. The four Sundays of Advent are significant times to consider who Jesus is and the purpose of his birth. On each Sunday a different Advent candle (like the ones pictured above) is lit. We hear Scripture that points to significant issues and people connected with Advent: repentance, preparation, John the Baptist, the Second Coming of Christ, God's love, and Jesus as the Light of the World. Rather than singing all Christmas carols, we sing Advent carols such as O come, O come, Emmanuel. I sense that people in the congregation have grown in their understanding of the meaning of Jesus and Christmas. I sought to show through Scripture, preaching, singing, and visuals that Jesus is truly the reason for the season!
The Friday before Christmas was the last day of school before Christmas Break for the 109 or so students at St Fergus Primary School. This was the second year that the school had its closing Christmas assembly at the church. Mums and dads, grannies and grandas heard the children sing, recite, and play musical instruments along Christmas themes. I gave a very short talk on Jesus being the reason for the season. All those present enjoyed hearing the children perform. They exhibited considerable energy and had a lot of fun expressing it. I find that it is far more work to construct a five to seven minute talk than it is a longer sermon. It takes time and thought to identify what is used in the message and what is to be thrown out.
The ground floor of the church was packed with students and their families. All indications point to the school growing in attendance during the next few years. Each year more and more families are moving into the small village of St Fergus. At the end of the assembly, the Head Mistress surveyed the sanctuary full of people and commented that next year some family members may have to sit in the balcony. It was good to hear that the school wants to keep coming to the church several times a year. She had noted that until the past two years, some of the children at the school had never been in a church. Now here they are coming into the village church several times a year with their families. My prayer is that St Fergus Parish Church would be a congregation that welcomes families of the village into her worship and life.
If you are the praying type of person, please pray for us in this regard.
Blessings to you and yours,
Last Christmas was my first Christmas at St Fergus Parish Church. Last year I gently introduced Advent into our Sunday worship services. Advent is the first season of a new Christian year. It includes the four Sundays immediately preceding Christmas Day. For Christians, it is a time of preparation for the celebration of Jesus' birth. The four Sundays of Advent are significant times to consider who Jesus is and the purpose of his birth. On each Sunday a different Advent candle (like the ones pictured above) is lit. We hear Scripture that points to significant issues and people connected with Advent: repentance, preparation, John the Baptist, the Second Coming of Christ, God's love, and Jesus as the Light of the World. Rather than singing all Christmas carols, we sing Advent carols such as O come, O come, Emmanuel. I sense that people in the congregation have grown in their understanding of the meaning of Jesus and Christmas. I sought to show through Scripture, preaching, singing, and visuals that Jesus is truly the reason for the season!
The Friday before Christmas was the last day of school before Christmas Break for the 109 or so students at St Fergus Primary School. This was the second year that the school had its closing Christmas assembly at the church. Mums and dads, grannies and grandas heard the children sing, recite, and play musical instruments along Christmas themes. I gave a very short talk on Jesus being the reason for the season. All those present enjoyed hearing the children perform. They exhibited considerable energy and had a lot of fun expressing it. I find that it is far more work to construct a five to seven minute talk than it is a longer sermon. It takes time and thought to identify what is used in the message and what is to be thrown out.
The ground floor of the church was packed with students and their families. All indications point to the school growing in attendance during the next few years. Each year more and more families are moving into the small village of St Fergus. At the end of the assembly, the Head Mistress surveyed the sanctuary full of people and commented that next year some family members may have to sit in the balcony. It was good to hear that the school wants to keep coming to the church several times a year. She had noted that until the past two years, some of the children at the school had never been in a church. Now here they are coming into the village church several times a year with their families. My prayer is that St Fergus Parish Church would be a congregation that welcomes families of the village into her worship and life.
If you are the praying type of person, please pray for us in this regard.
Blessings to you and yours,
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