Christmas Sermon from Fr John

He came down to earth from heaven

Who is God and Lord of all,

And his shelter was a stable,

And his cradle was a stall;

With the poor and mean and lowly

Lived on earth our Saviour Holy

There has been much in the public realm recently concerning communication.

Lord justice Leveson enquiry has created a fierce debate with those on the side of the freedom of the press decrying any infringement on their rights to tell the world what they think the world wants to hear: and those on the side of people who's privacy has been invaded, usually at a time of heightened personal crisis or tragedy. It remains to be seen how far this debate will go in changing the nature of our society and the way in which we stay informed.

This month of December marked the 20th anniversary of the first txt message sent. Given  that I expect everyone of us in church has sent or received a txt message it  seems incredible that it they have only been around 20 years. Can you imagine your day without a txt, can you sustain your friendships and express your love and concern or simple delight in another person without txt? I expect for many of us it would seem inconceivable.  From the moment that first text was sent our world and society changed for ever.

And finally there was the tragic results if a hoax call, Mel Grieg and Michael Christian, the Australian DJ’s behind the hoax call to King Edward 7^th hospital  . A harmless bit of fun turning into shocking loss, a moment of foolishness having  far reaching  consequences.  For Nurse Jacintha Saldanha it was moment of communication that changed her life for ever and resulted in the terrible consequences of her suicide.

At the heart of the Christmas story is the desire of God to communicate, us his creation his sons and daughters. To send a message, to reach out, to create a story that still has the power to change peoples lives and the life of our world.

But God is no hack, or devious reporter determined to use any means necessary to get his story, his Good News,  into the public domain.

God choose to use a seemingly ordinary event, the birth of a child, to herald an event of world changing proportions.

God choose not to use the wonders of technology, the ability to instantly connect and convince, but the everyday and ordinary around us, dreams, stars and lowly shepherds.

God choose to intervene in human history, a decision that in some people's eyes is as foolish as a hoax call, but one that has far reaching implications, not for death but for life.

This month gave the world another first – the first Tweet by the Pope. Indeed I too have joined the tweeting community by following his example and sent my first tweet two weeks ago.

Some see texting as destructive to traditional forms of communication, and although it is a view that I have a great deal of sympathy with, there is some truth in the claim of those in favour that it is simply another form of communication which has become part of the fabric of our modern world.

Greg Burke, the senior media adviser to the Vatican, explained that the @Pontifex Twitter name was chosen because it means Pope and it also means 'bridge builder'.

Such bridge building through different avenues is part of the Christian tradition. The Christmas story celebrates  a God who communicates in diverse and creative ways –A drama which features the worlds of prophets, angelic visitations, and then supremely, God becoming a human being. “ He came down to earth from heave, Who is God and Lord of all”

It’s the way of building a bridge in a way that human beings can receive and understand. 

Indeed it is estimated that around 8 trillion txts are sent a year, I wonder how many of the worlds 7 billion humans will wish another person a happy Christmas today by sending a txt?

And that would be an interesting challenge, if you have not already risen to it this Christmas, when you have a moment why not send a message of no more than 140 characters – a tweet – to convey all the joy and hope and love that is revealed as we gaze anew on the child born of Mary.

I will finish as I began with words of another well known hymn which we will sing togthter at the end of our service, words that for me  powerfully convey the esense of what our celebration at Christmas is all about

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!

Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all he brings

ris’n with healing in his wings;

mild he lays his glory by,

born that we no more may die,

born to raise us from the earth,

born to give us second birth.

And if you are interested that is 195 characters- I think?

Happy Christmas!

The words of my favourite carol say it all:

The great God of heaven is come down to earth,
his mother a Virgin and sinless his birth;
the Father eternal his Father alone:
he sleeps in a manger; he reigns on the throne:
Refrain:
Then let us adore him and praise his great love:
to save us poor sinners he came from above.

A Babe on the breast of a Maiden he lies,
yet sits with the Father on high in the skies;
before him their faces the Seraphim hide,
while Joseph stands waiting, unscared, by his side:

Lo! here is Emmanuel, here is the Child,
the Son that was promised to Mary so mild;
whose power and dominion shall ever increase,
the Prince that shall rule o'er a kingdom of peace:

The Wonderful Counselor, boundless in might,
the Father's own image, the beam of his light;
behold him now wearing the likeness of man,
weak, helpless and speechless, in measure a span:

O wonder of wonders, which none can unfold:
the Ancient of days is an hour or two old;
the Maker of all things is made of the earth,
man is worshiped by angels and God comes to birth:

The Word in the bliss of the Godhead remains,
yet in flesh comes to suffer the keenest of pains;
he is that he was and for ever shall be,
but becomes that he was not, for you and for me.

St Matthias, ready for Midnight Mass

Christmas Eve-the wonder starts

Some of our children their parents have attended our crib service.

A Prayer for Christmas Eve

Come, Lord Jesus, come soon.

In this time of your coming,

  support and console us who trust in your love.

You live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

  God for ever and ever.

Amen.

Christmas 'card'

I gave up sending Christmas cards a few years ago and so prepare video reflection card each year. Here's this years!

http://bit.ly/UOfJxz

With best wishes to you and your families (whatever shape they take!) for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Angharad

Three Christmas nativities in one day!

Barnet Asian Old Peoples Association celebrated the story of Christmas in the Barnet Multi Cultural Centre next door to church. It was an amazing drama, faithfully reading from St Luke's Gospel and spiced with dramatic licence. The youngest performer was 68 years old! See the picture below.
This morning our older children from SMSJ held their annual Christmas carol service with the school choir sounding brilliant and this afternoon it will be the infants turn with their nativity play. What. Blessed day in the parish.

Colindale primary school carol sing

Here are some children from Colindale primary school singing Christmas carols in the Hyde united reform church. This is not a church school and the children are from the many diverse faith communities of our borough. Their singing was full of joy and life. We even had children signing for those who might not able be to hear their beautiful voices.

Christmas lunch on Jesus

Just got in from delivering around 50 vouchers for local residents in the two parishes to have a free Christmas hamper delivered on Saturday. This is an initiative created by Jesus House in Barnet whereby hundreds of hampers are delivered to the most need across the Borough. My first letterbox, at 7.30am on the west Hendon, was proving s little tiresome and I was aware of the early hour and so doing my best to make as little noise as Possible. The door flew open and a very angry young man shouted at me "take your F****hand out of my f**** door before I break it" Maybe not the best start to a bit of neighbourly concern. It's been amazing talking to many who opened their doors to receive their voucher today. One neighbour told me about her struggle with addiction and depression following the intervention of social services who have taken her baby from her earlier this year. This young woman is sharing her hamper with her first born son and an elderly neighbour in the flat beneath her who had his benefits stopped suddenly last week. All of this had been made possible by the inspirational dedication of Ayo and Wonu and their team at Jesus House. Thank you for letting us work with you! If anyone wants to help us with the distribution of hampers we are meeting in West Hendon car park at 10.00am.

O Wisdom!

Today, we move into the second part of Advent, preparing more immediately for our celebration of Christmas. My Christmas decorations are going up today!

Every day during this part of Advent, we say one of the 'O Antiphons' at Evening Prayer. Based on scripture, these express our human longing for Christ. Perhaps you could use them in your own prayers as Christmas approaches:

O Wisdom, O holy Word of God,
you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care:
Come and show your people the way to salvation. (17 December)

O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel,
who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush,
who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain:
Come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free. (18 December)

O Flower of Jesse’s stem,
you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples;
kings stand silent in your presence;
the nations bow down in worship before you.
Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid. (19 December)

O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel,
controlling at your will the gate of heaven:
Come, break down the prison walls of death
for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death;
and lead your captive people into freedom. (20th December)

O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death. (21st December)

O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart;
O Keystone of the mighty arch of man:
Come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust. (22nd December)

O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver,
desire of the nations, Savior of all people:
Come and set us free, Lord our God.     (23rd December)

The popular hymn, 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel' is based on these antiphons.

Poem on Our Lady of Willesden

Our lady of Willseden

Trevor, a member of both of our congregations, has written a poem about the shrine of Our Lady of Willesden, which we visited in August. He has allowed us to share it on this blog:

Black Madonna
Scarred hands and twisted arms
Carved in ebony

Boy child
Created with the same ferocity
That replicated her beauty

Strong arms
Lift him to the passing throng
In a gesture taut with longing

Strong hands
Gnarled but strangely delicate
Fingers cracked by hard work

Holy infant
Made from the same hard block
Cut to create his mother

His hands are different
Soft - reflecting the light
From the ring of votive candles

They are carved in white wood
The grain is faulty
Knots on the polished surface
Contorted like old wounds

The frail Franciscan Friar
Leans his head to the floor
As he kneels before the Icon

Almost indifferent
I pause to light a candle
Before continuing my journey

Gaudete!

Just a quick reflection today, as I get ready to go to our Christingle service at St John's this afternoon.

Today is Gaudete Sunday, a day set aside for rejoicing. The words of St Paul's letter to the Phillipians echo in our ears, "Rejoice in the Lord always". We, as Christians, are called to rejoice. This doesn't mean that we should walk around with fixed grins, ignoring the reality of suffering in the world. Rather it means that our lives should be deeply focused on the hope that is ours in Christ. We believe that Christ has come at Christmas, and that Christ will come again in glory.

Whatever we encounter in life, we do so in the context of a hope that history is in God's hands. This gives us reason to rejoice in the depth of our being. It sets us free from hopelessness and despair, and allows us to celebrate in a way that isn't shallow or superficial, but is grounded in the most sure reality of all - the God of love.

Congratulations Michael and Sheila

A wonderful service of Holy Matrimony at St. John this afternoon. Not just ecumenical with three pastors in church and taking part but also father if the groom the rev'd Micaiah Onohwakpo concelebrated and I hope he will join us one Sunday in the new year before he returns to Delta region Nigeria.

An Advent Prayer : The Angelus

Many of us have busy lives, and it can be difficult to find time for prayer.

The prayer known as the Angelus is ready-made for hectic schedules, and has a definite Advent feel to it. Traditionally said at 6am, noon, and 6pm and said throughout the year, except during the Easter season when it is replaced by the Regina Caeli, it can be prayed flexibly.

The Angelus, which can be said silently 'in your head' or out loud fits easily into a few moments during the day. It is an ideal prayer for the middle of the working day, since it reminds us of the Incarnation - God becoming a human being like us and sharing an ordinary working life - and of the need to follow Mary in saying 'yes' to God.

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
    
Hail Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with Thee;
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,    Now and at the hour of our death. Amen

 Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
Be it done to me according to your word.
    Hail Mary, etc.

And the Word was made Flesh.
And dwelt among us.
    Hail Mary, etc.

 Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

LET US PRAY
Pour forth, we ask you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

West Hendon Pre-school celebrate Christmas

It's wonderful to see so many parents from our community in church at St. John this morning for their Nativity celebration. Well done to Mariam our manager and Angie our dpt manager and all the staff for another stunning performance of the Christmas story.


The story tells of Maurice the donkey who has his stable invaded by a number of other animals who he shoos away. Then enters Mary and Joseph with their own donkey and a very bright star. Poor Maurice his privacy hopelessly invaded. But of course something miraculous happens in the sable and to Maurice when the Christ child is born and all the animals, and even Maurice inspire if himself get very excited and he learns that it is more fun to make room in his life for others than to be on his own.
The story ends with a word perfect rendition of Away in the manger.

Congratulations Micah Aaron!

We welcomed Micah Aaron into the Church with baptism at St John's on 25th November. We've just had some pictures through!

Congratulations to Micah, and to his parents, Sonia and Aaron!

Disagreements in the Church : Another thought on the Immaculate Conception

St Thomas Aquinas

Thinking this year about tomorrow's feast day, I'm looking back to last month's General Synod and the, often pretty bad tempered, disagreements in our church that preceded and followed it. There are a lot of issues that divide Christians, and divide Christians in the Church of England in particular. Questions about ordination are the most topical, but we also have high profile disagreements about sexuality and about more fundamental doctrine.

There's nothing new under the sun. You only need to pick up a New Testament to see that there were fierce divisions in the Church from the earliest days. Paul is writing to churches sometimes torn apart by factionalism. And in the Middle Ages, way before the divisions of the Reformation era, there were robust disagreements about the faith.

The Immaculate Conception provides a case in point. Arguably the greatest theologian in the Western Catholic tradition, the Dominican St Thomas Aquinas, denied the Immaculate Conception, as that doctrine is understood today - that Mary was preserved from Original Sin. Aquinas held that Mary was as holy as it was possible for a redeemed human being to be, but thought that this did not include freedom from Original Sin. The Franciscan Duns Scotus, on the other hand, argued that Mary was free from Original Sin precisely because of God's redeeming grace. What Jesus did for us by his life, death, and resurrection reaches 'back' in time and preserves Mary from Original Sin. She is not less redeemed by being free from Original Sin, said Scotus, but more redeemed.

The debate carried on, not least through these medieval theologian's respective religious orders. In the end Scotus' view carried the day. In no small part because of its appeal to and effect on the devotional lives of ordinary Christians, belief in the Immaculate Conception became commonplace amongst Catholics in the West (the Orthodox Church has a very different understanding of Original Sin, so the doctrine wouldn't make much sense to them - although they agree that Mary was uniquely holy). Eventually in 1854 Pope Pius IX declared "the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin".

These days this is the view of the Roman Catholic Church. It is also the view of many Anglo-Catholics (including me!). Christians who don't accept the doctrine at least have a clearer understanding what the doctrine is supposed to express - the depth of God's redeeming grace and its capacity to reach 'back' in time - and have been able to enter into fruitful dialogue on this basis. A good example of this can be seen in the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission report on Mary. We have all grown because centuries of debate enabled us to reach a clearer position.

We shouldn't get all pious about this and see this as some kind of harmonious 'development of doctrine' with never a harsh word said - saintly and brilliant though Aquinas and Scotus were as individuals. In the background was a good deal of one upmanship and power politics between religious orders. And historically, belief in and observance of the Immaculate Conception varied tremendously from region to region. Factionalism and regional divides - just like today's Anglican Communion. Yet through it all, God led Christians to a greater appreciation of God's truth. We shouldn't doubt that God can do the same today.

An Advent feast : The Immaculate Conception

Tomorrow is the feast of the Immaculate Conception, when we celebrate God's grace active in Mary's life from the first moment of her existence. As the Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission puts it,

In view of her vocation to be the mother of the Holy One (Luke 1:35), we can affirm together that Christ’s redeeming work reached ‘ back’ in Mary to the depths of her being, and to her earliest beginnings.

It is very much an Advent feast day. Just as part of what we do in Advent is prepare to celebrate Christmas, so God prepared for the first Christmas in the life and experience of his People, which we read about in the Old Testament, and finally in the life of Mary. God's grace, working at the deepest level of her being, enabled her to say 'yes' to God, to say 'yes' to being the Mother of Jesus. In the anonymous, and no doubt to most eyes unremarkable, life of a Jewish peasant woman, the God of Israel prepared the way for the salvation of the world.

God's action in Mary's life is a supreme example of what Christians have historically called providence. Without in any way compromising our freedom or treating us like puppets, the God who surrounds all things works in our lives for the furtherance of his Kingdom. The way God is working in us might not be clear to us at the time, it certainly might not be clear where God is leading us - but the God who loves us and wants to restore all things is at work, and is calling us to co-operate with that work, to say 'yes' to his love.

God prepared the world for the first coming of Christ through the life of Mary. God prepares the world for the second coming of Christ through the life of the Church. We should look at our own lives, and ask where God might be at work, so that we can say a generous 'yes' to God. And we should look at the world - looking for the 'signs of the times', the places where God in Christ might be establishing his Kingdom of justice and peace, and again we should say 'yes' to God, 'yes' to God's future.



  

A modern take on a traditional hymn to Mary!
Thanks to Angharad for making me aware of this gem.

An Advent saint - Santa Claus!

Today is the feast of St Nicholas, 4th century bishop of Myra. He is the original Santa Claus - legend has it that he helped a poor family by delivering gold coins to them under cover of darkness. On one version of the legend, these coins were placed in stockings which had been hung out to dry - hence Christmas stockings and chocolate gold coins.

St Nicholas is the patron saint of children, and his feast day is a major event in some parts of the world. You can read about St Nicholas' Day customs here.

Almighty Father, lover of souls,
who chose your servant Nicholas
      to be a bishop in the Church,
that he might give freely out of the treasures of your grace:
make us mindful of the needs of others
and, as we have received, so teach us also to give;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Amen

Bishop Peter confirms in the parishes

Tuesday night bishop Peter was with ys as we celebrated the sacraments of baptism and confirmation at St. John's church for both parishes. Congratulations to Thomas, Leena,Lauren,Lisa & Mitra. We had a wonderful service and party after. Thanks to those who brought food and especially Audrey for washing up!

Advent Sunday

This week’s readings speak to a deep-seated longing within humanity for right and justice to triumph. They speak to our yearning for a final end to all cruelty and misery of our world. There is a clear bright ray of hope that runs through the lives of those who write.

Jeremiah was a prophet living around 500 years before the birth of Christ, the long awaited fulfilment of his hope and words of encouragement.

         Jeremiah had a difficult life, his prophecies and the message of warning and condemnation of Israel got him into hot water, he was imprisoned and left to die. He witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and the taking of the ruling classes into exile in Babylon. He was a sensitive man and did not enjoy having to condemn the behaviour and false hope of those around him.

Jeremiah looked for a day when God would renew his covenant with his people and restore the fallen people of Israel and rebuild the city of Jerusalem.

It is to this hope that we turn in the season of Advent as we too prepare for the coming of Christ. 

We too prepare ourselves for God to once again renew his covenant with humanity as he takes on our humanity in the incarnation.

We too look, with hope,  to see the restoration of the fallen as we here in a few weeks time the cry of Mary that the worlds order be reversed and the rich are cast down and the lowly raised up.

All this leaves us with the simple question of what difference do we expect the coming of Christ to make in our lives this Christmas?

Hope is an essential part of our lives and faith. I was at a reunion seminar on Friday for those of us who earlier this year had travelled to Israel to study at Yad Vashem. The topic of hope and the Holocaust was one of the themes we touch on – can there be any hope in the light of an unprecedented desire by Nazi Germany to eradicate every Jew from the face of the earth in the 1930’s?

When the heart rendering stories of survival are told there is a fierce debate within the Jewish community as to whether or not to leave the reader or the listener with hope or not.

For myself I cannot live without hope, and I do not necessarily mean that kind of hope that is akin to wishful thinking, or the kind of hope that for some is revealed by scratching a lottery card, I mean the kind of hope that comes from faith in a God for whom nothing is impossible.

One can have hope without faith, but is it really possible to have faith without hope?

If faith is the seed to flowering hope then there is no wonder that along with the denial of faith and the dismissive attitude of many to faith, hope is also a causality.

There are so many hoping for change and transformation in their lives and the lives of those around us

Those whose privacy has been invaded by the press

The peoples of Afghanistan, Syria, the Congo and many other places of violence and blood shed

Even in our church there are those who campaign, pray and live in the hope of a church that can fully celebrate the calling of Men and Women to service within ordained ministry of the church

And the list goes on …..

Advent is a time to make room for God in a time when there is not just “no room for the stranger in the inn" but for many of us there is no room for God either in our modern lives.

Jesus reminds us to “Watch and pray. We must remain alert and awake, watchful for the signs of God working in the life of his world and in our own lives. For so often Advent is a missed opportunity, a season that passes in the countdown to Christmas as just the number of days left to shop in. It is so tempting to loose the opportunity offered us to spend some time with God, to make space in our lives for God.   

Jeremiah’s hope was for a world transformed by the love of God who would make a new covenant or promise with his people.

Jesus is that new covenant, the new promise for the world, for you and me. And he is asking us what it is that we hope for this Christmas?

Happy New Year!

I love the liturgical or church year. The journey we take together year after year exploring the story of our salvation. Each season, with their different colours and focus, revealing something more of God’s love for us.

The pilgrimage through the seasons teaches us different aspects of our life in Christ. Advent encourages to expect the coming of God’s Kingdom. At Christmas we celebrate new life and knowing that God is with us. In Lent we take time to reflect on our journeys, personal and corporately, with God in preparation for Easter. In the Triduum we remember the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus -  the cornerstone of our salvation. In the Easter session we rejoice in the new life we have in Christ. Pentecost brings the celebration of the gift of the Spirit and the birth of the church. Ordinary time (literally counted time not unspecial time) is full of festivals and saints days which bring something new to the pilgrimage of our faith.

The liturgical year begins on Advent Sunday. Just as in the calendar year any new beginning is a good time for a rethink and even resolutions so this liturgical year I find myself Called to Be reflecting on this wonderful pilgrimage and blogging it a bit more.

Happy New Year!

Originally posted here

Advent is here!

The Diocese of London is challenging us all to live our faith with the three C's- confidence compassion and creatively. Tonight marking the beginning of Advent we at St. John and St Matthias are being treated to the first of four evenings of music. Tonight the Arch orchestra is performing Mozart.
In the beauty and space of a church we sit quietly and allow our minds to rest a while on the music as it soars through the church, filling our hearts with its joy and peace.
There are still three more concerts to enjoy this Advent -see the events page-come rest awhile in this blessed season of preparation for the joy and hope that is Christmas.
Thank you to Konstantin for this Creative approach to Advent!

Happy St Andrew's Day!

St Andrew, one of the twelve Apostles, is patron of Scotland, Ukraine, Russia, Sicily, Greece, Cyprus and Romania. People with backgrounds in all of these countries live in this part of London. Have a good one!

Lord God,

  you called Saint Andrew, your apostle,

  to preach the gospel and to guide your Church.

We humbly pray

  that he may always plead for us in your presence.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

  who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

  one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Advent is coming

In spite of the insistence of our shops to the contrary (most supermarkets seem to have had Christmas decorations up since at least Hallowe'en!) it is NOT CHRISTMAS. The handy isitchristmas.com website will confirm this.

I'm not being an old Scrooge. I love celebrating Christmas, and I love celebrating Christmas at length. Christmas doesn't end on Boxing Day. Depending on how old-fashioned you are, it finishes on the feast of the Baptism of Christ, or on Candlemas on 2nd February. My decorations will stay up until Candlemas! One of the things I hate about the way supermarkets and the like 'celebrate' Christmas is that they put up decorations in October, but then take them down a few days after Christmas Day. And you try buying a Christmas pudding in early January!

A big problem with celebrating Christmas too early is that we miss out on the feel of Advent, one of the most moving seasons of the Christian year, a time of hope and expectation. Advent begins this Sunday, the 2nd December and continues until the evening of 24th December. The Church doesn't begin celebrating Christmas until the evening of Christmas Eve. Before then, we don't sing carols, we have Christmas themed readings and prayers, we don't put flowers in the church, we wear violet vestments, and we don't place the child in our crib.

So I have a challenge for you - delay putting up your Christmas decorations! Wait at least until 17th December, a day on which the flavour of Advent changes, when it becomes more of a 'getting ready for Christmas time'. In the meantime, why not do some Advent things? Here are some ideas:

Make An Advent Wreath

The Advent Wreath is a way of 'counting down' towards Christmas. One candle is lit during each of the four weeks of Advent. Find out how to make one here.

Put Up Advent Decorations


Advent is not a gloomy time! Why not brighten up your home with decorations in the colour of Advent - purple?


Celebrate Advent Saints

Some significant feast days, with a distinct pre-Christmas feel, fall in Advent. These are associated with customs in various parts of the world:

• December 6th - St Nicholas (Santa Claus)
• December 8th - The Immaculate Conception.
• December 13th St Lucy/ Lucia

 Why not find out about them, and do something to celebrate?

There is much more about Advent over at the Occupy Advent website.

Christ the King!

Today is the feast of Christ the King!



It's a busy day in our churches. I've just had the privilege of welcoming Micah by baptism into the Church at St John's, and in a couple of hours we will be welcoming the Esteem Social Club for their annual service of thanksgiving. Instead of a reflection from me, then, some words from a hymn we sang at St Matthias earlier, written by a great prophet of Christ's Kingdom, Fr Conrad Noel:

You faithful saints and martyrs who fought for truth and right,
We ask your prayers and blessings to aid us in our fight.
Your faith shall be our watchword, your cause shall be our own -
To fight against oppression till it be overthrown.

Lift up the people's banner and let the ancient cry
for justice and for freedom re-echo to the sky.

In many a golden story, on many a golden page,
The poets in their poems have sung the golden age,
The age of love and beauty, the age of joy and peace,
When everyone lived gladly and shared the earth's increase.
Lift up the people's banner…

Today the tyrants triumph and bind us for their gains,
But Jesus Christ our Saviour will free us from our chains,
And love, the only master, will strive with might and greed,
Till might is right no longer, and right is might indeed.
Lift up the people's banner…

God is the only Landlord to whom our rents are due.
God made the earth for everyone and not for just a few.
The four parts of creation -- earth, water, air, and fire --
God made and ranked and stationed for everyone's desire.
Lift up the people's banner…

God made the earth for freedom and God alone is Lord,
And we will win our birthright by truth's eternal sword;
And all the powers of darkness and all the hosts of pride
Shall pass and be forgotten for God is by our side.
Lift up the people's banner…

Christ blessed the meek and told them that they the earth should own.
And he will lead the battle from his eternal throne.
O have no fear, my comrades, cry out in holy mirth!
For God to us has promised the Kingdom here on earth.
Lift up the people's banner…

Oh, and don't forget to STIR UP today!

Thought for 2nd Sunday before advent

In our reading from the letter to the Hebrews the writer challenges us to "Provoke one another to love and good deeds". Hebrews 10:24

This is the job description of a Christian community. We're not talking about competitive Christianity here! The writer of Hebrews is encouraging his audience and us to be a community that meets together regularly to build each other up.

We need each other in the diversity of community to inspire, encourage and build each other up. Community is also a place for accountability, not a place for judgement, but where we are accountable to each other.

It is this kind of community that sustains Christians and allows us to work for the Kingdom of God.

And thank God we have God's Grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit and don't have to do this alone!

Stir Up!

 This Sunday our churches will keep the feast of Christ the King.

Once upon a time, though, every church in the Church of England would have kept the Sunday before Advent as the "Last Sunday After Trinity". The 1662 Book of Common Prayer collect would have been said in every church:

Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Because of the first line, this Sunday became known as Stir Up Sunday and was traditionally the day for making your Christmas pudding!

If you fancy sticking with tradition, I refer you to Nigella.

Pray for Synod!

General Synod is a body that makes important decisions within the Church of England. You can read about it here. It is meeting in London over the next few days. There is a live stream here.

Synod will be discussing a number of important topics. In particular, as you will have seen from the news, our synod representatives will be considering whether we should consecrate women as bishops, and if so what kind of provision should be made for those who are opposed to this move.

This is obviously a very important issue which people feel strongly about. We shouldn't forget to pray for Synod! It is all too easy - and I'm the worst culprit here! - to get so tied up in following debates and having opinions that we forget to pray. But we read in John's gospel that it is God's Holy Spirit who will "lead us into all truth". And it is the Spirit, given us in our baptism, who makes us all one. So we should pray for the gift of the Spirit for Synod, that it may be guided into truth. And we should pray for the gift of the Spirit for the whole of our church, that we may be helped to see through our present divisions to the fundamental unity that is ours in Jesus Christ.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
and enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray,

God, you have taught the hearts of your faithful people,
by the light of the Holy Spirit.
Grant that by the gift of the same Spirit,
we may be truly wise,
and ever rejoice in his consolation.
Through Christ our Lord,
Amen.

Advent Concerts

 At St John's we'll be putting on a series of Advent concerts. The money raised from these will go towards supporting our music fund. So cheer up those winter evenings and support a good cause by coming along!

Sat 1 December, 7.30pm
The Arch' Orchestra

Mozart Symphony No. 29 in A major, K.201
Mozart Violin Concerto No.3 in G major, K.216
Haydn Symphony No. 44 in E minor, Hob. 1/44,
"Trauer"
Chloé van Soeterstède, conductor
Margaret Dziekonski, violin


Fri 7 December, 7.30pmSacred and Secular

A mix of sacred and secular songs, arias and
duets
Katherine Williamson, soprano
Jasmine Adrian-Dawson, mezzo soprano
Konstantin Gensitsky, piano

Sat 15 December, 7.30pmViolin and Piano

Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven
Margaret Dziekonski, violin
Otis Beasley, piano

Fri 21 December, 7.30pmTrio Renoir
Programme to include Beethoven, Mozart
and Piazzolla

Nafis Umerkulova, piano
Svetlana Mochalova, cello
Violeta Barrena, violin

Tickets: £10/£5conc. for the concert on 1 December; £7/£4 for the rest of the
concerts. Sales at the door, reservations by email
Venue: St John the Evangelist, West Hendon, Algernon Road, London, NW4 3PX
Email: stjohn.concerts@gmail.com


Transport

Tube: Hendon Central (10 mins)
Rail: Hendon (3 mins)
Buses: 83, 183, 32, 142
Free parking and disabled access

Reflection for the Third Sunday before Advent

Whilst over at St Matthias we offered a requiem for those killed in war, at St John's - whilst we prayed for the war dead - we read the readings set for the day and kept an ordinary 'green' Sunday.

We read from the beginning of Mark's gospel:

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.  (Mark 1:14-20)

That invitation - "follow me" - is one that Jesus still makes. It is one that our baptism and confirmation candidates will take up when they celebrate those sacraments on the evening of 4th December.

It is also an invitation that those of us who are already baptised and confirmed have accepted. How are we doing at following Jesus?

We only have three weeks left in the Church's year (we begin a new year on Advent Sunday, 2nd December). Over these coming weeks, let's spend a bit of time assessing our discipleship, asking how generously we respond to Jesus' call to follow him. And then let's make some 'new years' resolutions', commiting ourselves to follow Jesus in the coming year!