DAILY REFLECTION
Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th Combined
The nativity story is full of angels: the annunciation to Mary, the dreams of Joseph, the glorious appearance to the shepherds.
A common theme is that the angels preface their messages with 'do not be afraid '.
Of course they came to bear tidings of life changing importance, and their audience were often in danger or much was being asked of them.
Also, in the culture of the time, angelic appearances were startling rather than twee, underlining that this was a moment of great awe and divine challenge.
'do not be afraid ' would be precisely the encouragement needed to step forward onto the holy ground, the way, that the angels beckoned to.
Revd Louise Grace
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Monday 9th December
One of the themes that is being studied by folks across the benefice this advent is 'Angels'. Here is one of the most popular carols at Christmas that reference angels Click Here
Revd Louise Grace
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Friday 6th December
Following the coverage of Archbishop Welby's final speech in the House of Lords yesterday, and the potential impact that may have had on survivors and victims of abuse, here is a link to SafeSpaces, a resource for those abused within church culture Click Here.To quote Bishop Sarah Mullally, from her statement on the resignation of Archbishop Welby: We need a genuinely survivor-focused approach, with independent scrutiny and mandatory reporting at its heart. From this moment, the Church must drive fundamental safeguarding reform.
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Thursday 5th December
Here is the preface from the Church of England website which is aimed at helping us all as we travel towards 'Bethlehem' through our worship in advent. This may help us navigate the line between enjoying the sparkle that accompanies our own culture at this time of year, and paying heed to the themes that help us deeply prepare for the feast of the Incarnation, God with us.
Introduction to the Season
Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as the Church prepares to celebrate the coming (adventus) of Christ in his incarnation, and also looks ahead to his final advent as judge at the end of time. The readings and liturgies not only direct us towards Christ’s birth, they also challenge the modern reluctance to confront the theme of divine judgement:
Every eye shall now behold him robed in dreadful majesty.(Charles Wesley)
The Four Last Things – Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell – have been traditional themes for Advent meditation. The characteristic note of Advent is therefore expectation, rather than penitence, although the character of the season is easily coloured by an analogy with Lent. The anticipation of Christmas under commercial pressure has also made it harder to sustain the appropriate sense of alert watchfulness, but the fundamental Advent prayer remains ‘Maranatha’ – ‘Our Lord, come’ (1 Corinthians 16.22). Church decorations are simple and sparse, and purple is the traditional liturgical colour. In the northern hemisphere, the Advent season falls at the darkest time of the year, and the natural symbols of darkness and light are powerfully at work throughout Advent and Christmas. The lighting of candles on an Advent wreath was imported into Britain from northern Europe in the nineteenth century, and is now a common practice. The Moravian custom of the Christingle has similarly enjoyed great success in Britain since the latter part of the twentieth century, with the encouragement of the Children’s Society; Christingle services may take place before or after Christmas. The Third Sunday of Advent was observed in medieval times as a splash of colour in the restrained atmosphere of Advent (Gaudete or ‘Rose Sunday’), and the last days of Advent were marked by the sequence of Great ‘O’ Antiphons, which continue to inspire modern Advent hymns and meditations.
Revd Louise Grace
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