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 Priest's Page...


'Maureen's Musings'



November 2016

November comes along as the month of Remembrance. Poppies and fireworks; scarlet blooms across the night sky. Sparklers and cinder or treacle toffee and bobbing for apples. Solemn old soldiers with a tear in the eye. Marching bands and foggy mornings. All of these and more are memories that come to mind - (at least for me!) . It may be very different in your mind's eye of course, but I would love to hear your memories if you have different ones. Why not come and find me - I am often in the coffee shop around 11am on Saturday mornings if I can be, and I would love to hear your stories.... Perhaps there is a special person you always think of at this time of year as the nights get longer and the temperature cools?

We have been holding our memorial service of thanksgiving for the departed at the end of October or beginning of November for many years now ... and I know how important that is for many people. We love being able to welcome you to church on that occasion. And it got me thinking whether we might be able to do something else to help brighten winter season - which for some is particularly difficult.

As we are swept mercilessly up into the commercial hype and the glitz and glitter of Christmas, I am always aware that for some people it can be a very difficult time. With such emphasis on happy family time, cheery smiles and general bonhomie, it can feel very lonely for those who perhaps are not feeling much like celebrating the Christmas festival. For that reason, I thought I would offer a short, relatively meditative service on the evening of Wednesday 21st December. This marks the longest night of the year - the shadows are at their deepest and darkest - but from this time on the nights will grow shorter again as we journey, hesitantly at first, towards spring. We may still have the worst of the winter to face, but the daylight will gradually beat back the night. Hope will replace despair and through it all God is there with us - Emmanuel.

So forgive the early publicity for this event, but I know it will need word of mouth to create an awareness that there will be a service this year for all those who find the enforced jollity of the festive season a bit hard to take. 21st December; 7.30pm - 8.15pm. Come light a candle to keep the long night at bay. Please wrap up warmly as I am not sure we will have our boiler problem fixed by then!

Every year I also hope that we may be allowed to keep a proper Advent - a time of thoughtful preparation before all the razzamatazz of Christmas bursts upon us. I know it is a folorn hope. But it really does help make Christmas extra special if there has been a time of restraint and preparation before-hand. This year Advent begins on November 27th and we hope to be able to unveil and dedicate a new Advent Candle Ring in church on that day. Why not come and experience it? Then you can go home and write your Christmas Cards and your letter to Santa.... if you must!

Every blessing

Maureen