The Christmas Number 1 in the UK... always used to be a big "wait and see" with record sales being counted and verified.  Then came digital downloads and the X-Factor and it all became boringly predictable.  Gone are the days of Bob the Builder's version of "Mambo No 5" (a little bit of tiling in the roof...) or Cliff Richard massacring a carol, or some one hit wonder, or a charity single (Do They KNow it's Christmas in its first incarnation) or even (and this remains my all time favourite) Slade with "Here it is Merry Christmas".

This year there is a bit of a political edge to the push to get Gareth Malone's latest choir project to No 1.  A choir of NHS employees from Lewisham (London) and a pointed message to GM Government to stop privatising/dismantling NHS England... and let's not delude ourselves that all is rosy in NHS Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, the impact of cost controls may just be manifest in other ways.

The NHS is truly remarkable... and I, along with many members of my family living and dead, owe a huge debt of gratitude (mostly to NHS England but in my case to NHS Scotland) for free at the point of delivery healthcare.  From the presumed still-born premature baby delivered in a London hospital at the end of 1962, I have come a long way... had there been no NHS I wouldn't be here to tell my story.

If I had my way, I'd increase taxes for those who can afford it to help protect the NHS - but I reckon that is a pipe-dream, since no major party seems willing so to do.  But what I can do, and have done is download the single and up load the selfie... and if you wish to, wherever you may be, so can you.

Go here to download the single... please!

Photo taken by our tame oncology professor... slightly wobbly quality certainly reflects the standard of my singing!

Not a huge congregation, yet it included a few folk who came specially to express gratitude for the Beatson hospital and to donate to the charity.

Not our finest singing ever, but we determinedly gave it our best shot, and had some fun (or I did anyway)

No idea how much we raised - the sealed buckets will be opened and counted by the young woman in the centre of the photo who works for the charity.

The congregation included past and present patients of the Beatson, doctors who work there, employees of the charity, and many people whose loved ones have been treated there.

Being note perfect matters so much less than being big hearted... and yesterday people majored on the latter.

I chose option 1 - very similar to the quiz I had created for church yesterday, but with more questions and some puns on London underground station names as a format...  Option 2 I have done and will do again this week.  Option 3 ... don't think the kitties would sit still long enough!  Have fun whichever you choose.

This morning's service went really well, a happy atmosphere and good participation.  One of the many highlights for me was the product of the 'create a carol' activity.  The two folk I'd invited to facilitate had each prepared something up front, and a group of five people created a brand new song in just 20 minutes.  All of them wonderful.

With their permission, I am sharing their creativity.  If you do decide to use them, please credit them - although not published they are still copyright the authors/church as appropriate.

Love Looked Up

Love looked up at Christmas,

Love bewildered, love divine.

Love reached out at Christmas,

Tiny fingers held the sign.

Worship we the baby,

Love demanding, love divine,

Worship we our Jesus,

Usual chaos, sacred sign.

Leanne Clelland, Ken Fisher, Freya Edwards, Paul Fraser, Elaine Downie (c) authors and Hillhead Baptist Church

In The Bleak Midwinter

In the bleak mid-winter
Many mums made moan,
Party clothes need ironed,
Just one sleep to go;
Food is cooking, food on food,
Food on food,
In the bleak mid-winter
Not so long to go.

Santa cannot hold them
Nor the dads restrain;
Common sense shall flee away
Cards will bear the pain:
In the bleak mid-winter
No order is too tall
Place your present order,
We will buy them all.

What can I give them,
Poor as I am?
If I had a fortune
would everyone stay calm?
If I were a wise man
I’d have a fresh start;
Give them all that matters -
Give my heart.

Leanne Clelland (c) Leanne Clelland

At Christmas Let's Remember

To the tune of “THE HOLLY AND THE IVY”

All the shops are full of goodies

Ready waiting for our cash

They don’t want us to be prudent

They are hoping we’ll be rash

Chorus:

At Christmas let’s remember

The coming of that Baby Boy

Who from that humble stable

Filled the world with peace and joy

But will spending make us happy?

Yet our gifts can bring good

Perhaps the best gift we can offer

Is our heart filled with God’s love

Chorus:

At Christmas let’s remember

The coming of that Baby Boy

Who from that humble stable

Filled the world with peace and joy

Ken Fisher (c) Ken Fisher

Today's all age worship (with zones) for Advent 4... there will be carols and there will be a telling of the birth of Jesus and there will be a reflection and there will be intercessory prayer... but it won't be a traditional carol service (whatever one of those may be).

In the evening there will be a service of Lessons and Carols, so anyone who feels let down in the morning can come along then and have a lusty sing!