Page 15 - December 2015 Issue 300

DECEMBER 2015
THE NEW COUNTESTHORPE HERALD 15
Countesthorpe
Methodist Church
Notes from Sheila Howell & Angie Skerritt
It seems like only yesterday that we were writing for the Advent Season last year - as the saying goes ‘Tempus Fugit’.
LOOKING FORWARD TO CHRISTMAS
There is nothing in the Bible indicating the actual date of Jesus’ birth. The first recorded Christmas was celebrated in Alexandria, Egypt, in the month of May. It then moved to April, then to January and finally, around 300AD, it was fixed at 25th December. This date was chosen as it was the winter equinox and there had been pagan festivals at this time for thousands of years. From the pagan festivals we adopted the tradition of decorating our homes and giving presents.
Other Christian customs have other origins. Christmas crackers for example evolved purely by chance in 1847 when an English baker, a Mr Tom Smith, came up with the idea of wrapping up a sweet
and including a love motto. He then included a strip of paper impregnated with a special compound which made the wrapper ‘crack’ when opened! To cope with demand Tom built a factory and eventually he inserted jokes and small gifts.
Many people don’t like to call Christmas ‘Xmas’. However we have come across an alternative way of looking at it. When we receive letters or cards with X’s on, they tell us that we are loved. When we see Christmas written as Xmas, the X can remind us that God loves us so much that He sent his only son to us.
Originally, Christmas pudding was a sort of meat stew called ‘girout’. The Elizabethans added herbs and prunes and over time the meat content was phased out. The traditional Christmas pudding now seems very British but in order to make them we have to rely on products, such as sultanas, raisins, currants and spices, from other countries. Only when they are combined with other ingredients do we get the great taste of our Christmas pudding. If only all people from across the world could combine like the ingredients of the Christmas pudding!!
ADVENT CELEBRATIONS
Our own minister, David, will lead our worship on Advent Sunday when the Advent Ring will be lit during the singing of ‘The Holly and the Ivy’. The service on 13th December will be our Christingle celebration, our Carol Service will be on 20th December in the afternoon (4pm) and David will be taking our Christmas Day service at 10am. There will be a collection at the Carol Service and the Christmas morning service in aid of Action for Children.
The Christmas Tree Festival this year is on Saturday 12th December, the theme being ‘Christmas Carols and Songs’. Various village organisations will decorate the trees and Greenfields Primary School Choir will be singing in the morning. Refreshments will be available all day.
THOUGHTS FOR THE NEW YEAR
Don’t put Jesus away with the Christmas decorations but keep Him with you all through the year.
You changed our world for ever.
You dwelt with the poor and raised the humble high. Change our hearts this Christmas.
Challenge our consumerism and
fill us with your love.
Change our world for ever.
Bring life to the poor and freedom
to the oppressed.
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