It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…
James Cathcart
November 28, 2020
Add to Favourites
James looks ahead to our four themed Advent Sunday Live services 29 Nov - 22 Dec at 6:30pm.
Have you heard…? Christmas is starting early this year. People who normally moan about shops blasting out festive tunes in late October are now enthusiastically decorating their homes with enough enthusiasm and electric lights to throw passing astronauts off their game…
This truth — that we are really needing Christmas this year — underscores the profound truth that we really need Christmas every year. The Church calendar begins anew with Advent each time we go around as if to say “This moment, right here in this wee stable, this is where it all starts… this is the seed of everything we do.” Jesus ready to become human, ready to embrace us, ready to show us a new way to laugh, weep, love, live and flourish as we marvel at the wonder of creation.
Our theme for Advent this year is ‘It’s Time To Open Up Christmas’ and our hope is that this season can be a time of drawing breath and rediscovering God’s openhearted plan for humanity. Even in the midst of restrictions and lockdowns we still follow an expansive God with arms wide open to receive us. We will look forward, back and up into the skies with eyes and hearts wide - open to divine love and grace.
For our Sunday Live Advent streams (starting this Sunday 29th) we are going to use film, poetry, reflection and music to unwrap the gift of Christmas. They all begin at 6:30pm and will be available for replay afterwards. Here’s a wee preview of what we have been working on:
- To kick us off it’s SF at the Movies as Albert leads us on a trip into the film archives of Christmas past at Sanctuary First.
- Linda and Laura are putting together a sensitive contemplative Christmas service around the open heart of Christmas.
- Unwrapping the Story Anew — James and Amanda use poetry to get their heads around the mind bending idea of the incarnation — that Jesus became one of us.
- Jim and Jane are organising a very special evening of music… dig out that Christmas jumper…
May God catch our hopes, our imaginations and our hearts once again this Christmas.
James Cathcart
Login to comment.