From a spiritual point of view, it was an odd Christmas. By lunchtime Christmas Day I'm usually "carolled out" as I've sung the most popular ones a number of times by then. But this year, with a combination of not being in a pastorate and having a cold that lasted two and a half weeks, I felt I had hardly celebrated Christmas at all. For the first time in 23 years I was not taking part in Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services; instead, we went over to my sister-in-law's. Now we thought we would go to a late night service on the Eve, but listed locally were only Anglican churches, plus the Methodist church which was doing communion.
Now I've led Christmas Eve communions and I know they can be special times (in Barnet, it was always by candlelight). However, I'm afraid the Methodist service was just as Anglican as C of E churches, if not more so! I realise this is just our preference, but it didn't do a lot for us. Especially as it seemed to be 'karaoke' carols, as we think the organ music was being played from a CD, rather than the organ keyboard. It was a case of keep up or else! Plus, of course, a carol that we didn't know, but it was by Charles Wesley, so that's alright then!
So a slightly odd Christmas for us. I hope next year I will have a church and I promise I will be grateful, even when I've sung "O come all ye faithful" for the sixth time!
As a reformed baptist now attending c of e ( note small letters) I enjoy the more structured services. They sort of have a start middle and ending but there is still space for the Spirit to move. I think that within a village community especially at Christmas the Christingle/Crib service/nine lessons & carols and midnight communion are relevent and still provide an enduring and challenging Chistian witness. I well remember the midnight services at Emmanuel Baptist Gravesend in the 60's and 70's when we had 'drunks' rolling in during the service singing some of the more colourful versions of the famous carols. I recall Rev.David Beer wishing worshipers a happy Easter...because that was probably the next time some of them would be in Church....Just like the Anglicans really.
ReplyDeleteAlan F.