Someone once said to me that we ought to hand out loyalty cards for December throughout the village and to everyone in the congregation. The idea would be that for every event you attend during Advent, hosted at St Bartholomew’s Church, you would receive a stamp; perhaps a star or angel shape in black ink dutifully thumped out by a church warden. The object would be for you to fill the card before Boxing Day.
During December the church plays host to so many different events and Advent gives us time to reflect on what is really important. It will cost you nothing as we approach the day we celebrate Jesus’ birth; coming to a church service; eating sweets and oranges at Christingle; singing carols at the concert or around the village Christmas tree; coming to Warmspace on a Thursday; hearing the excitement of eager children at the Crib Service and the reverent silence of midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Oh! The smell of the Christmas pine tree and the flickering of candles in our beautiful building.
The awarding of a ‘prize’ for filling your loyalty card was never discussed at the time; it didn’t need to be!
Advent is the time for waiting, and in waiting we can have the time to ponder. I think the prize is in this experience. A chance to stop and consider the wonder of the Christmas Story, the peace that we should feel in trusting in Jesus and the hope for a better future.
Merry Christmas,
Martin
