A few contrasting photos which give hints of life in the Gathering Place.

The menagerie that lives in the vestry, dressed and ready for festive fun...

And by contrast, a room ready for the Advent reflection...

And a closer look at our Advent ring...

One moment mad, next moment profound... what more could a minister wish for?

Lunchtime will be our third reflection for Advent.  These have proved popular and rain/sleet/snow permitting today will be no exception.  As I have pondered the material we are using, I have been to some degree struck by how it captures the 'halfness' of midweek meetings... although it roughly follows the traditional themes, it also points forward all the time to the next one.  Thus, today as we meet between 'John the Baptist' and 'Mary' we find hints of each.

I'm glad in a way, because Mary gets a poor deal in Protestant Christianity: sometimes we are so fearful of Mariolatry that we are instead guilty of Mary-avoidance.  Because she's Advent 4 we tend to be occupied with other things, things I love like nativity serivces and carol services, things that mean she gets overlooked.  So it seems fitting that today's Advent three-and-a-half reflection requires us to use props that hint of a more feminine, more Mary-like feel.

I am looking forward to this space to pause, and I'm off to choose my CDs now so we can have some suitably Proddie 'Mary music'!!!

And here, for those who can handle a bit of heresy (I'm not so sure about the last couple of verses) is a Roman Catholic Mary hymn that I actually quite like...

Sing of a girl in the ripening wheat,
flowers in her hand, the sun in her hair.
All the world will run to her feet
for the child that mother will bear.

Sing of a girl that the angels surround,
dust in her hand, and straw in her hair.
Kings and their crowns will fall to the ground
before the child that mother will bear.

Sing of a girl on a hill-side alone,
blood on her hand, and grey in her hair.
Sing of a body broken and torn.
Oh, the child that mother will bear.

Sing of the girl that a new man will meet,
hand in his hand, the wind in her hair.
Joy will rise as golden as wheat
with the child that mother will bear.

Sing of a girl in a circle of love,
fire on her head, the light in her hair.
Sing of the hearts the Spirit will move
to love the child that mother will bear.

Sing of a girl who will never grow old,
joy in her eyes and gold in her hair.
Through the ages men will be told
of the child that mother will bear.

Damian Lundy (1940-1997) © 1978 Kevin Mayhew Ltd

I wonder if you have seen the Sainsbury's 'Perfect Christmas' advert and, if so, like me you have been bewildered by the (presumably Welsh) choir singing the tune Ar Hyd y Nos.  What, I found myself wondering, had that to do with Christmas, beyond being a nice feel-good kind of a tune.  This morning as we sang carols round the piano I was reminded that this tune does have its place in this season, even if it is highly debatable that the advertising agency knew that!  Thank you whoever chose this carol (I forgot, shame on me)...

Come and sing the Christmas story
this holy night!
Christ is born: the hope of glory
dawns on our sight.
Alleluia! earth is ringing
with a thousand angels singing-
hear the message they are bringing
this holy night.

Jesus, Saviour, child of Mary
this holy night,
in a world confused and weary
you are our light.
God is in a manger lying,
self effacing, wealth denying
life embracing, death defying
this holy night.

Lord of all! Let us acclaim him
this holy night;
king of our salvation name him,
throned in the height.
Son of Man-let us adore him,
all the earth is waiting for him;
Son of God-we bow before him
this holy night.

From Psalm 8. Michael Perry (1942-1996) © Mrs B Perry/Jubilate Hymns
(BPW 161 for any Bappies out there)

Photos (c) Ken Fisher... we take our singing, and our supping, very seriously, as you can tell!  (And yes, that tinselled hat is probably the only halo I'll ever get!)

Possibly the simplest formula around, and I am looking forward to it.

Today our Coffee Club meet around the piano to do carol-oake... picking carols to be sung - and to sup tea/coffee and maybe munch the odd treat.  O Latte Town of Bethlehem maybe?  There may be a few more awful alternatives if someone has the brain to spot them.

It will be a good morning, an important morning, as last week we had to postpone lunch due to the ice-on-snow-on-ice (the good news is the restaurant were fine about it and even relieved as their staff were struggling to get in; come Jnauary we have a treat to anticipate).  Some of these folk have not been able to get out much in the last week or two, and if the met. office are right we have more snow on its way.

Simply let the songs tell the story, let laughter fiull the air, let the warmth of friendship wrap us round... and the mystery of Christmas, albeit sneaking into Advent, will occur.

Great excuse to don the tinsel methinks.

Just checking in on a day when my brain resembles that of a certain Scarecrow from Oz and my joints are worthy of a Tin Man in need of a dose of oil.  Inspiration has flown today... yet I know that there are many generous people who call by each day and for them it is important to say something.

Over recent nights when sleep has been evasive, I have been very glad of all the bits an bobs of hymns, songs and Bible verses (without their chapter and verses references) that have found their way into my subconscious down the years which have floated from there into consciousness in the wee small hours.  Sometimes when we feel below par, praying is beyond us (or beyond me anyway) and it is good to have these bits to draw on.

For whatever reason, three of the last four services I've been at have employed the same song, a paraphrase of the start of Isaiah 40, and over the last few nights I have woken up 'singing' it more than a few times.  So, here it is... enjoy:

1    Comfort, comfort now my people;
    speak of peace - so says your God.
    Comfort those who sit in darkness,
    burdened by a heavy load.
    To Jerusalem proclaim:
    God shall take away your shame.
    Now get ready to recover;
    guilt and suffering are over

2    Hear the herald's proclamation
    in the desert far and near,
    calling all to true repentance,
    telling that the Lord is near.
    Oh, that warning cry obey!
    For your God prepare a way.
    Let the valleys rise to greet him
    and the hills bow down to meet him.

3    Straighten out what has been crooked;
    make the roughest places plain.
    Let your hearts be true and humble,
    live as fits God's holy reign.
    Soon the glory of the Lord
    shall on earth be shed abroad.
    Human flesh shall surely see it;
    God is ready to decree it.

Isaiah 40: 1-5 paraphrased Johannes Olearius translated Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878) amended John L Bell (born 1949) © Panel on Worship of the Church of Scotland