At last, Advent has arrived and the 4-week run up to Christmas has started. Advent is in fact a confusing time, as formally it is a time of looking forward to the return of Jesus, His Second Coming, when the kingdom of God will have been fulfilled here on earth. Whilst that too is to be a wonderful time, arguably better than the first Christmas and the birth of Jesus, it does mean that the church is calling us to look forwards and backwards at the same time. Forwards to the wonder of the Second Coming and backwards to the Birth of Jesus. It is right that we re-enact the events around the Birth of Jesus as that is such a valuable inheritance. The Second Coming is full of mystery and challenge, but also about the hope of which Jesus spoke so vividly. So we immerse ourselves in the events of Advent; Carol Services, Nativity Plays, Crib Services, Christingle and Midnight Mass; looking this way and that, but always aware that the Spirit of Jesus lives within us everyday of the year.
A highlight for Redhill is the Festival of Carols, accompanied by the North Somerset Community Brass Band on Sunday 21st Dec’ at 7pm. On Christmas Eve we will have a Crib Service at 4pm and Midnight Mass at 11:30pm. But before all of that we will be inviting help with decorating the Christmas Tree on Saturday 13th Dec’ at 10am outside (come dressed up warm) and before that there is a workshop to make figures for our Outside Nativity Scene on Saturday 6th December 10am inside a warm church. Amongst all of that we will be Singing Carols around the lanes and houses of Redhill on Sunday 14th Dec’ starting from church at 6pm.
That is quite a frenzied timetable for us, on top of the usual Services. So whilst I want to encourage you to join in with everything that is offered, I also encourage you to take some time out to ponder the dual focus of Advent, the gift of the Christ Child and His Second Coming, when at last there will be peace for all, as the wolf lies down with the lamb.
A blessed Advent and Christmas to all
Andrew
Rev’d Andrew Hemming, Priest for Redhill