Last night was the ‘Churches Together’ community carol service at the parish church in Goldthorpe. Our church – minus several members who were ill – provided the music for the evening and setting up the instruments and projector screen is always a challenge!

The service began outside in the darkness, symbolising our journey from darkness to light (Is 9:6-7).

Members of the Salvation Army represented Mary and Joseph’s journey with baby Jesus:

During the service, Alison from the Salvation Army spoke about the message of hope we have. Each person was invited to write their hopes and prayers on a gift tag which was then hung on a Christmas tree, which will travel around the local churches during December so that we can pray for all these requests. A collection at the end of the service raised £88.16, which will be divided equally between the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal and the missionary work of the Maris Convent.

This was the final ‘Churches Together’ event of this year, but as we look back on all God had done through these gatherings and on the excellent relationships being developed between local churches – people from the parish church in Barnburgh and the Methodist churches in Bolton-on-Dearne and Great Houghton attended, along with people from the Goldthorpe parish church, Salvation Army and Pentecostal church and the Maris convent in Goldthorpe – we are grateful for all that God is doing in our local area and look forward with eager anticipation to the next ‘Churches Together’ meeting on Saturday 17th January at 7 p.m. at Furlong Road Methodist Church.

One of the names given to Jesus, proclaimed by the angels, is ‘Immanuel’ (or ‘Emmanuel’), meaning, ‘God with us.’ It’s one of the most amazing truths of Christmas that God Almighty, in the form of Jesus Christ, came to dwell with us. I love this song also because it points to the reason that Jesus came: ‘here born to bleed.’

‘What hope we hold this starlit night
A King is born in Bethlehem
Our journey long, we seek the light
That leads to the hallowed manger ground

The son of God, here born to bleed
A crown of thorns would pierce His brow
And we beheld this offering
Exalted now the King of kings
Praise God for the hallowed manger ground.’ (‘Emmanuel, Hallowed Manger Ground,’ Chris Tomlin)

Candles are often associated with Advent, as we contemplate the fact that the light has come into the world and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5) Today’s song reflects this theme:

‘Like a candle flame
Flickering small in our darkness
Uncreated light
Shines through infant eyes

God is with us, alleluia (Men)
God is with us, alleluia (Women)
Come to save us, alleluia (Men)
Come to save us (Women)
Alleluia! (All)

Yet his light shall shine
From our lives, Spirit blazing
As we touch the flame
Of his holy fire.’ (‘The Candle Song’, Graham Kendrick)

Details have just come through of the child we are sponsoring through the Christian charity Compassion. Her name is Bedline Bazile and she was born on 19th March 2010 (a very good day indeed…!) She lives under the care of her mother in Haiti, in the mountainous community of Sarrazins, home to approximately 10,000 residents. Typical houses there are constructed of dirt, cement or wood floors, wood or brick walls and tin roofs. Most adults in the area are unemployed, but some work on plantations or as market traders; these earn the equivalent of £20 per month.

Bedline attends the Sarrazins Child Development Centre which provides Bible teaching, health screening, physical education, etiquette training, social events, academic reinforcement, health education, books and uniforms. The centre staff also provide health education, literacy classes and meetings for the parents of all the children who attend.

Haiti is situated in the Caribbean:

It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola which it shares with the Dominican Republic. It is the most mountainous nation in the Caribbean and its highest point is Pic La Selle, at 2,680 m (8,793 ft0). It’s known in French (one of the official languages of the island) as ‘la perle des Antilles’ (‘the pearl of the Caribbean’) because of its natural beauty, but it is extremely poor and politically unstable.

Let’s pray for Bedline and her family. The prayer points listed on the ‘welcome pack’ are for her family and friends, for her school work and for her relationship with Jesus. “For fun, she likes playing hide and seek, singing and listening to music.” As we start to correspond with her and become more aware of specific requests, let’s remember that our partnership with Compassion can make a real difference!

Neither the Advent period nor Christmas itself are renowned for their silence. Shops are heaving with customers; streets are packed with pedestrians; traffic jams abound. The stress levels of many people rise dramatically at this time of year.

But Advent means taking time out from the bustle and busyness to pause before God: “The season of Advent means there is something on the horizon the likes of which we have never seen before… .What is possible is to not see it, to miss it, to turn just as it brushes past you. And you begin to grasp what it was you missed, like Moses in the cleft of the rock, watching God’s back fade in the distance. So stay. Sit. Linger. Tarry. Ponder. Wait. Behold. Wonder. There will be time enough for running. For rushing. For worrying. For pushing. For now, stay. Wait. Something is on the horizon.” (Jan L. Richardson)

Today’s music reflects this stillness, since both are instrumentals. ‘Keep Silent’ is from Aaron Shust’s new Christmas album and this gentle piece captures the essence of peace. Phil Keaggy’s ‘Coventry Carol‘ is an instrumental version of this famous carol, a lullaby to Jesus. Both are brief, so take five minutes out from today’s busy schedule to listen and to stay… sit…linger… tarry…ponder… wait…behold…wonder.

Like Job, there are times indeed when we should simply keep silent. (Job 40:4, see also Eccl 3:7)

Today’s song is from Michael Card and looks at the mystery of the incarnation:

‘When the Father longed to show
A love He wanted us to know
He sent His only Son and so
Became a holy embryo

Because the fall did devastate,
Creator must now recreate
So to take our sin
Was made like us so we could be like Him.’ (‘To The Mystery’, Michael Card)