| | | Messy Church Christmas Service -
Sunday 22 December |
Joan Cape narrates the story with Graham and Sam Mcdonald providing the music
The
temperature outside was near freezing, and the snow had begun to fall.
The church soon filled with families from across Penicuik and beyond to
hear and take part in the true story of the nativity and welcome the
nativity scene which has been visiting each of the Messy Church
families during December.
Joan
Cape from Hope4Penicuik and Messy Church narrated our story and started
with asking how everyone was preparing for Christmas day. Many would be
travelling a great distance to get home to family and friends as
she showed a railway stations busy with people heading home or to
the shops to buy presents. The trains were busy and everyone is just
glad to reach home, here in Edinburgh and Penicuik.
 We
then
thought of Mary and Joseph who had a long journey to make as well, for
the census in Bethlehem and most importantly, where where baby
Jesus would be born. We sung our first Christmas carol "Still the
night, holy the night", with Graham and Sam Mcdonald on piano and
drums to lead us. The carol tells the story of Mary and Joseph in a
stable bare, and how the shepherds saw the angels singing 'Christ the
Redeemer is here', and how he was the son of God and our saviour. The
Penicuik Puppets helped us from the gallery and the pulpit.
 We
looked at a map to see how far it was from Nazareth to Jerusalem and
Bethlehem, especially over rough paths. There were no camels to ride
like the 3 wise men had. The crowds at Bethlehem had taken all the
rooms and Mary and Joseph were left with only a stable, where the
baby Jesus was born. We heard how the bright star guided the 3 wise
men, and the shepherds to Bethlehem, guided by the angels (drawn by the
children). The nativity scene which had been travelling around
the Messy Church families was gradually built up on the communion
table, as the characters arrived at the stable.
 We
continued singing with 'Away in a Manger' and the story gave an insight
to Jesus as baby, man, and his eventual sacrifice on the cross to save
mankind.
We closed with a prayer and sang 'We are thankful for
the gift of Christ', during which the children marched around the
church in answer to 'Now He calls us to follow Him' .
After the short service refreshments were provided for the children and mums and dads.
Follow Christ's journey through life at Messy Church
Messy Church returns on Sunday 2nd February from 4.00 to 6.00pm.
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