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Pastoral Page (Sunday, 19th December 2010)

Dear Friends

On this the Fourth Sunday of Advent we light the purple Love Candle. The Chrismon (or monogram of Christ) from our tree which I would like to highlight this week, is the cross, which reminds us of John 3:16 ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life’. This is the last of our purple candles which remind us of Christ’s royalty, and at the same time, of our need to repent. On Christmas Day, we light the white Christ Child candle, which reminds us that He is the light of the world.
May your preparations for this holy celebration bring you much joy!

In Christ’s service
Debbie

Pastoral Page (Sunday, 12th December 2010)

Dear Friends

This is the third Sunday in Advent, and it is that time of the year when we light the Joy Candle in our Advent wreath. You will have noticed that the four outside candles of the wreath are purple. This is because purple is the liturgical colour for both Advent and Lent. The candle in the centre is white, which is the colour of purity and the liturgical colour for both Christmas and Easter. Purple is used for a number of reasons. For starters, it is the colour of royalty. In Elizabethan times, only Kings and Queens and their direct family were allowed to wear purple! This is because the purple dye used, was, at one time, literally worth more than its weight in gold! And yet, the colour purple has also come to be associated with repentance, which is the work of the Advent and particularly, Lent seasons.

The Chrismon that correlates with the Joy candle this week is the symbol of the butterfly, which represents the joy and colour and life a new birth brings!

May Christ’s joy indeed be in you this Advent!

In Christ’s service
Debbie

Pastoral Page (Sunday 5th December 2010)

Dear Friends

Last week I mentioned that the term "Chrismon" comes from the Latin phrase "Christi Monogramma", meaning "monogram of Christ". Each year we adorn the Christmas tree in our sanctuary with Chrismon symbols intended to represent Jesus Christ and His church. This week, as we light the Peace Candle on our advent wreath, I would like to draw attention to the “dove” Chrismon. While the dove is a symbol of Christ’s baptism, it is also a symbol of peace. If you haven’t done so before, take some time out after the service to have a good look at the tree, and to ponder the meaning of these symbols of eternity.

In Christ’s service
Debbie

Pastoral Page (Sunday 28th November 2010)

Dear Friends

Every year, at the beginning of Advent, Annette faithfully puts up our beautiful Christmas tree, adorned with Chrismons lovingly made for us by the ladies of our congregation. If we think that Chrismons are nothing more than pretty Christmas decorations, we are missing out on so much. A Chrismon is one of number of Christian symbols intended to represent aspects of the person, life or ministry of Jesus Christ and the life, ministry or history of the Christian Church through a single image, emblem or monogram. The term "chrismon" comes from the Latin phrase "Christi Monogramma", meaning "monogram of Christ". Chrismons can be found in all sizes, any sort of construction, and are mostly used to adorn Christmas Trees during Advent and Christmas, but are also used to adorn everything from liturgical robes to grave stones. Ours are made from gold and white beads, to speak of the purity and majesty of the one who is, in Himself, the ‘Pearl of Great Price’.
On this first Sunday of Advent, as we light the Hope Candle on our advent wreath (thanks Mike!), I would like to highlight the Chrismon that is a Latin cross. This specific version of the cross stands on a base of three steps, which symbolise those three things which the bible tells us are the things which will remain: FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.

If you haven’t done so before, take some time out after the service to have a good look at the tree, and to ponder the meaning of these symbols of eternity.

In Christ’s service
Debbie