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Fourth Advent Afternoon Family Service
Christmas
Eve at St. Mungo’s started at 4pm with a family service led by
Joan Cape. The service opened with that all time favourite
Christmas carol ‘Hark the herald angels sing’, led by Eileen Marchant on the church organ.
The lighting of the fourth advent candle by Emily Bunyan, which was followed by an opening prayer,
thanking God for the gift of Jesus and the happiness he brings. Our
prayer also highlighted that for some Christmas is a difficult
and troubled time, and asked for God to be with us and help us at this
time.
 Joan asked us ‘what are we looking for?’ and ‘why are we here?’
Answers such as peace and hope were heard. What about tomorrow morning?
Emily who lit the advent candle said ‘joy’. Santa should
have been so presents perhaps?
Joan introduced Andrew Dunsire and Phoebe Middleton to lead us singing ‘Holly and the Ivy’, with an Irish, Celtic theme, played on guitar.
The first of three envelopes
was then brought forward to Joan, which contained a figure of Mary, and
a manger, who, like the song we sang was looking for somewhere to stay.
Joan placed the Mary figure for us all to see. Rae Hunter told us of the trip by Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem for the census, with Mary about to bear a child, and how there was no room at the inn. Joan continued how Mary did what she was asked and gave birth to the baby Jesus in a manger in the stable.
 Phoebe led the singing of ‘Away in a manger’ and ‘Silent night’, with Andrew accompanying on guitar. Joan told us the story of 'why a guitar?'
Silent night was first played in 1818 at the church of St. Nicholas in
Oberndorf, a village near Salzburg when the church organ was not
working. Since then it has become a favourite world wide.
Our second envelope
was brought forward by a young member of the congregation, Inside were
sheep and shepherd figures, as mentioned in our last song. We watched a
video version of the story of Christmas, where the shepherds were told of the new King by the angels [watch the video here]. Joan introduced a video of 'A band of angels' which we could all follow the actions [watch the video here].
Andrew and Phoebe then sang 'Angels from the Realms of Glory'
The third envelope was brought forward to Joan and inside were three wisemen, sages or kings. Rae then told us about the wisemen from the east. Joan explained that it was not only the presents
of gold, frankinsence and myrr that the three wisemen carried on their
long journey to Bethlehem that were important, but finding the person
they were giving their presents to, the point of their journey. Another short video about presents, with Jesus being the best present of all time [watch the video].
Joan introduced a new song from Andrew and Phoebe, one that Andrew composed, 'Sing for the baby at Bethlehem.
They all found the baby Jesus, Mary, shepherds and wisemen. Joan continued that it was not all down to us, searching for a baby [watch the video]
As we approached the end of our service Joan led us in prayer and closed with singinig 'O little town of Bethlehem' and the blessing.
Published 28 December 2018
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