Advent calendar 2020

Advent 16 - Monday 14th December 2020

A simple and theologically correct Christmas!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called, Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Recently, the Cruden Bay Community Christmas Countdown Facebook page had a video of very young children singing different parts of Away in a manger. For the parents and families concerned this must have been a delightful experience, seeing the youngsters perform. A great deal of work must have gone into creating the video – recording the children’s performances and placing the clips together to create a seamless broadcast. Well done to everybody concerned! It was a cracking effort.

Whilst the Season of Christmas is the most treasured and enjoyable part of the year, I think most of us wrestle with the overblown commercialism and materialism. However, this year things are quite different. Due to the pandemic, very few of us are going to have a normal Christmas.  (This has not stopped my father-in-law from ordering a rather large Turkey despite most of the family being unable to join us. Rather than the twelve days of Christmas, we could be celebrating the twelve months of eating Turkey leftovers!)

We are going to miss not meeting up with the extended family and seeing all the family pets (6 dogs including a puppy) creating havoc. But perhaps the muted commercialism will help us to reflect on what really matters and celebrate with integrity. That our celebrating will truly reflect the things which happened in Bethlehem all those years ago.

Rev Sean Swindells
Cruden Parish Church.

Here is a re-written version of ‘Away in the Manger’ called ‘Away and in Danger’

Away and in Danger

Away, amongst strangers,
who gave them no bed
the newborn Lord Jesus
lay down his wet head.
The stars in the night sky
looked down in dismay.
‘This was the Christ!?
Asleep on some hay!?’

The cattle are lowing,
this baby awakes
and just like a baby,
a great din he does make.
‘I love you, Lord Jesus?
But please do not cry.
It makes you look human
not aloof or on high.’

Be near me, Lord Jesus,
get up from the hay.
Grow into a man
and be near me I pray.
Bless all the children
in pain and despair
and don’t stop your crying.
It shows that you care.

Prayer

When I hear the news and hear another war has begun
And I wonder if God’s on the side of either one
I hear bullet, nail, or handcuff he bore all of them
And in the light my heart’s as dark as anyone’s
Lord, remind me
Lord, remind me
That the shepherds heard the angels break the silence in the field
That the wise men found a baby and they could not help but kneel
That the one who heard our weeping, became a child in manger sleeping
Lord, remind me
‘Cause it’s Christmas and I want to remember
Amen

Other days in the Advent Calendar