SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT - LOVE

We had a great service again this morning and it’s so good to see and hear the children taking part in the lighting of the Advent candles, mostly with their parents - and today was no exception - both children were excellent speakers and had obviously practised well.  

We had some good worship songs and the sermon was excellent - we have been so fortunate during our Interregnum to have visiting Ministers and lay people too who have still preached the Word faithfully to us each week.  

In fact, we had four new members welcomed into the Church this morning after the Communion Service and one of them said that someone questioned why they would want to join when the Church had no Minister.  However, we are so glad that God is adding to our numbers those who want to be part of His Church not just those who will have allegiance to one person, because that’s not what Church is all about.

I was thrilled to see two ladies who came a couple of weeks ago with one of the visiting speakers and who had said they would come back and today was the day they came.  I welcomed them and said there was coffee and biscuits afterwards if they would like to stay and again, I was pleased they did.

Interestingly, when speaking to them afterwards, L told us that not only was her Grandfather part of Johnnie Styles Band, which was quite a "Big Band" of that era, playing dance music, but he also used to live quite near to where we lived on Old Walcot.  Then amazingly, she told us his name and Mr. HCB said that when he was an Office Boy in the Great Western Railway offices for a year, before he could start his apprenticeship, he worked in the same office as her Grandfather.  What a small world!

The sermon challenged us not to love selectively but to love people with the same love that God shows to us.  Guess that’s our challenge for the week ahead sorted!

My collage shows a beautiful banner from the Church, the Advent candles, a Nativity on one of the windowsills at Church and also our own Nativity at home. This one is 55 years old and was given to us by Mr. HCB's parents, the Christmas after we were first married in 1968 and is very precious to us.  It was made by their next door neighbour and it always makes me smile, because it is made of plaster-of-Paris and obviously when she took Joseph out of the mould, his hand didn't quite come out properly - so in that sense it is unique!

Behind our Nativity set are cards that have been sent to us by various people over the years, and which are also very special to us - in fact, the three angels card was sent to us over 40 years ago, by a friend who had leukaemia and she passed away not long after.  We have so many lovely memories attached to various things we love to see at Christmas time, and I'm sure you have them too.

Have a great week and be blessed whatever you do and whoever you meet.  M xx