Christmas Day

People say that there won't be many about Christmas Day

The night before with our B@tCH congregation the hall was full and a great atmosphere. Today we followed on.

- New Zealand on holiday. But we were jammed (nearly) as good as any other Sunday!

Had a BBQ out up front and we took the service selected off the BBQ at random(people took the tongs and came and took something off. Worked really well. In fact - a young mother ended up reading Luke 2:1-15 Near the close she was a little in tears overcome with reading how Mary pondered these things in her heart deeply. Her child only 3 weeks old and all that the birth meant and the child was to the her and the family. She shared why and it has spoken deeply to many in thier own reflections - indeed, a number who were only there that day! What a God given blessing her tears and story were amidst the celebrations of Jesus birth. It said it all.

Shalom

Advent Shed

I recently came across the art of Nicholas Mynheer, whose work is iconographic in what strikes me as having a simplicity, yet is very evocative and inviting. Consequently, in preparations for something else and beginning to refelct on this artists amazing work I have tried my own version on our Advent Shed. (See below and slideshow opposite) This is - 'Micah and the Bethlehem event- after Mynheer.'

The figure calling into the darkness is Micah, the prophet, sounding a wake-up call to the people to the God who is 'Second -to- None.' He points to a scene with Mary and Joesph in Beth-lehem overlooked by an angelic figure. The side you can't see has 3 red gift boxes and the words from Micah 6 v8 'Do Justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God.'

Through Advent we will be exploring the prophetic message - 'WHO IS AS GOD?" - and the incarnation as a word for us today! The Shed is a simple presence to the traffic that flows steadily past - postcards have also been run and sent out and available.