Monday, December 25, 2017

Forgiven we are to Forgive - Christmas Day


Happy Christmas!

Welcome to our Christmas Day celebration and a special welcome to any worshipping with us for the first time. On Christmas Day we’ve only had one before. But today we have all five! Each Sunday through Advent we have been lighting a candle. 

On the first Sunday we celebrated the hope that comes into a world that all too often seem hope-less. On the second Sunday we celebrated the peace that Christ promises deep in our hearts and the peace he challenged us to share with others. On the third Sunday we celebrated the love of God that nothing in the whole of creation can ever separate us from. And on the fourth Sunday in Advent we celebrated the joy that comes at Christmas in the presence of Christ with us. 

And today there’s something new in the air. Something that’s special for this moment, for this day. New hope, new peace, new love, new joy promised by Christ, present in Christ prompting us to work with Christ in bringing that something new into the world. In him we see the truth of the God of love, through him we can have life in all its fullness and with him we have a way of life to follow that makes all the difference.

It’s as if, in Paul’s words, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.

A Happy Christmas!

306 O come all ye faithful

Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer

 Lighting the Christmas Candles

HOPE - Rejoice in hope, be patient when things go badly, persevere in prayer. Romans 12:12

PEACE - Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God. Matt 5:9.

LOVE - This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven.  Dear friends, if this is how God loved us, then we should love one another. God is love. 1 John 4:7,8,16.

JOY - Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:10-11

And with our Christmas candle a Christmas text:

In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 2 Corinthians 5:19

Hymn: Your promises are coming true

Your promises are coming true –
our waiting hopes fulfilled.
Your light has burst upon our world –
the new dawn that you willed.
Your coming gives us hope to live,
and strength, with you, to build.

Come, Jesus, and be with us now,
be with us now,
Come, Jesus, and be with us now!

Our lives are troubled while we wait –
our failure leads to fear.
Great God, we need your healing peace,
both now and ev’ry year.
Come, live and die, that we may live
because you’re always near.

Failed people living far apart
with selfishness undone,
oh, heal us with your love, we pray,
with loving make us one:
your coming and your sacrifice –
in us new life begun.

Yet some still carry sadnesses
and pains left by their past.
Surprise us all with heav’nly joy,
come down to earth at last.
With happiness bought by your tears,
embrace us, hold us fast.

New hope, new peace, new love are ours –
new joy on Christmas Day!
We celebrate your Christmas gift –
yourself: Truth, Life and Way.
Reshape us as we worship you,
Christ-child upon the hay.

John Campbell



Reading: Luke 2:1-7

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

312 Away in a manger

Christmas Greetings




Hope, Peace, Love and Joy

On Christmas Day we’ve only had one before. But today we have lit all five!

Lighting that first candle we celebrate the HOPE that comes into a world that all too often seem hope-less.

Lighting that second candle we celebrate the PEACE that Christ promises deep in our hearts and the peace he challenges us to share with others.

Lighting the third candle we celebrate the LOVE of God that nothing in the whole of creation can ever separate us from.

Lighting the fifth candle we celebrate the JOY that comes at Christmas in the presence of Christ with us.

And today there’s something new in the air. Something that’s special for this moment, for this day. New HOPE, new PEACE, new LOVE, new JOY promised by Christ, present in Christ prompting us to work with Christ in bringing that something new into the world.

In him we see the TRUTH of the God of love, through him we can have LIFE in all its fullness and with him we have a WAY of life to follow that makes all the difference.

It’s as if, in Paul’s words, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.

And yet, … can it really be so?

This year has been a troubling year in so many ways. London Bridge, the Manchester Arena, a Baptist Church in Texas, a Methodist Church in Pakistan, a Mosque in Egypt … and Grenfall.

Remembrance Sunday marked the thirtieth anniversary of the Enniskillen bombing.

When David Waters joined us to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of my ordination he spoke movingly of having just finished the edition of Songs of Praise that was going to go out on Remembrance Sunday. It had been filmed in Enniskillen and marked the 30th anniversary of a bombing atrocity in Enniskillen. A young nurse, Marie Wilson, had been killed. 24 hours later her father, Gordon Wilson, stated his determination not to bear a grudge against the perpetrators and his prayer that he would receive the grace to continue to do so. 30 years on David spoke of the way even the cameramen had been moved to tears as they interviewed Gordon Wilson’s widow, Joan, and she spoke of the power of that determination to forgive. A long-time friend, Fr Brian D’Arcy went on to make the observation,

“Forgiveness isn’t a flippant word; forgiveness isn’t an instant; forgiveness is a lifetime’s process”

And he went on to suggest that “in time the influence of Enniskillen and the influence of Gordon Wilson changed the whole picture in Northern Ireland – he showed how it could be done.”

The Christmas message has its power because it speaks into a troubled world. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.

But the cynic in me says, that was then. What about now?

A year ago upwards of 25 people were killed in a church in Egypt at Christmas. A month ago many more were killed in an attack on a mosque in Egypt. We face something even worse now. Can such a respond hold now?

The week after the broadcast of that Songs of Praise programme Frank Gardner, the BBC’s security correspondent, himself a victim of a bombing outrage, was on the radio interviewing first Bishop Angelos of the ancient Egyptian Coptic Church about their experience of persecution. What was remarkable was the way Bishop Angelos responded. It was exactly in the same spirit.

“The Copts are a resilient people who have faced persecution for 2000 years and the wonderful thing for me, the very inspiring thing for me is that I always fall back on the example of people here who face this with such forgiveness and such strength and such grace.”

“What would you say then, to the extremists of ISIS and others who say Christians have no place in the Middle East?” asked Frank Gardner.

“My message to those who choose to persecute us,” replied Bishop Angelos, “is that you are loved, we forgive you.”

Frank Gardner then went on to interview Samir, whose granddaughter had ben killed in that bombing attack at Christmas last year.  He asked the same question about forgiveness:

“Could you ever forgive the terrorists who did this?”

Samir then spoke so powerfully of his Christian faith.

“Our religion teaches us to forgive. It teaches us to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us. And to pray for those who hurt us. Yes we will forgive them despite all the blood that was spilled. Our faith tells us to forgive.”

It’s that very spirit, commented Frank Gardner that makes the Coptic Peoples of Egypt and the Christians facing persecution around the Middle East so resilient.

At the heart of our Christian faith is a forgiveness that reaches out to us all from God and a forgiveness we are invited to extend to all for “In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.”  

It’s there in the Lord’s prayer: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.             

There is a TRUTH in this love of God that is transformational for each of us: we are forgiven: we may begin again.

That grace of God gives us a new hold on LIFE that makes life in all its fullness worth living.

And it opens up for us a WAY to follow – for we have been given a ministry of reconciliation.

So, facing whatever 2018 will bring us – and it’s going to be a year of change for all of us in one way or another – this is the message that makes a world of difference, this is the message that has the power to transform that troubled world and make all the difference in the living of our lives in that troubled world..

God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself … and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.

A Christmas Song with Hy-Spirit
Prayers of Concern
322 Good Christians all rejoice

Words of Blessing

Sunday, December 24, 2017

A Welcome at the Stable - a Refugee's Nativity Play

Text of the Week: And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 

Welcome to our services for Christmas Eve and a special welcome to any who are worshipping with us for the first time. 

On Wednesday we welcomed the Peace Light from Bethlehem. A candle burns continuously in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Scouts and Guides from Bethlehem join with a contingent from Austria to light a lantern from that candle. From that lantern others are lit and others again. The flame in our lantern is a living flame lit from the candle in Bethlehem. Using that lantern we shall light our Advent Candles. 

The first of our candles tells of hope in a world that too often seems hopeless. The second candle tells of peace, that inner peace we seek in our hearts and that outer peace we are called to work for in the world. The third candle tells of love, the love God has for us, the love we are to share with each other. The fourth candle tells of joy, the joy of knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus, our Lord.

In our services today our thoughts turn not just to the place where Jesus was born, but to the region that is so torn apart by war and the threat of war at the moment. As we hear the voices of those who live in the middle of that tension, the remarkable thing is they are voices of hope, of peace, of love and of joy. 

Click on this link to see a recording of our Service and Nativity Play. The service begins at 16 minutes 55 and the Nativity Play itself at 29 minutes 55 seconds.



Welcome and Call to Worship

 For a child has been born for us,
   a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
   and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

321 Come and join the celebration

Prayer

Reading: Luke 1:39-45 Elizabeth’s words of joy

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,
where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb.
And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry,
‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy.
And blessed is she who believed
that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

Lighting the four Advent candles for Hope, Peace, Love and Joy

Rejoice in hope, be patient when things go badly, persevere in prayer. Romans 12:12

Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God. Matt 5:9.

This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven.  Dear friends, if this is how God loved us, then we should love one another. God is love. 1 John 4:7,8,16.

Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:10-11

Advent Hymn: Your Promises are coming true verses 1-4

Your promises are coming true –
our waiting hopes fulfilled.
Your light has burst upon our world –
the new dawn that you willed.
Your coming gives us hope to live,
and strength, with you, to build.

Come, Jesus, and be with us now,
be with us now,
Come, Jesus, and be with us now!


Our lives are troubled while we wait –
our failure leads to fear.
Great God, we need your healing peace,
both now and ev’ry year.
Come, live and die, that we may live
because you’re always near.

Failed people living far apart
with selfishness undone,
oh, heal us with your love, we pray,
with loving make us one:
your coming and your sacrifice –
in us new life begun.

Yet some still carry sadnesses
and pains left by their past.
Surprise us all with heav’nly joy,
come down to earth at last.
With happiness bought by your tears,
embrace us, hold us fast.

Reading Luke 2:1-7

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.
This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.
All went to their own towns to be registered.
Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea,
to the city of David called Bethlehem,
because he was descended from the house and family of David.
He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.
While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.
And she gave birth to her firstborn son
and wrapped him in bands of cloth,
and laid him in a manger,
because there was no place for them in the inn.




The story of St Francis and the Crib – lots of animals.

In the year 1223 Francis of Assisi wanted to celebrate Christmas in a different way. He wanted to re-create the scene in the stable of long ago. He sent word to a religious nobleman in the nearby town of Greccio whose name was John. He provided Francis with a stable. That Christmas Eve nearly 800 years ago friends and neighbours came to the stable and there in the hay lay the baby Jesus with his parents and an ox an ass.

That was a start of a tradition that goes on to this day – a crib scene that tells the story of what happened in the stable long ago. Thanks to Darryl for erecting our stable, to Karen for the crib scene, to Hy-Tec for decorating the tree.

Francis had a love of all creatures great and small, a special care for worms and for bees, for all things wise and wonderful. One of his earliest followers said he used to call all creatures
by the name of "brother" and "sister" and in a wonderful way, unknown to others, he could discern the secrets of the heart of creatures like someone who has already passed into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

And so we are going to take you this year to a stable long ago, and to another stable and to another stable too … and in each stable we’ll be on the look out for not just an ox and an ass, but a donkey and lots and lots of other animals too! 

And so we have our wonderful crib – a stable – and in the stable Mary and Joseph, a manger full of straw this year. But there’s something missing … where are the animals. We want to have animals in our stable this year, lots of them and we haven’t got any.  Wait a moment, there’s one tiny little bird – I think it must be a robin!! What do we need?

We need an ox, we need some lambs, we need a horse, we need some hens, we need some sheep, we need a goat, we need some geese, we need a cow, we need a cat, and if we’ve got a cat, we need some mice.

It was a difficult time for Joseph, it was a hard time for Mary but they had no choice. The decree went out. And what the Emperor ordered had to be done. They had no choice. They had to make the long and dangerous journey on foot … but they were not alone. They had a donkey to help them.

Carol: Little Donkey
Little donkey, little donkey
On the dusty road
Got to keep on plodding onwards
With your precious load.

Been a long time, little donkey
Through the winter's night
Don't give up now, little donkey
Bethlehem's in sight.

Chorus
Ring out those bells tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem
Follow that star tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem.

Little donkey, little donkey
Had a heavy day
Little donkey
Carry Mary safely on her way.

Little donkey, little donkey
On the dusty road
There are wise men waiting for a
Sign to bring them here.


Do not falter, little donkey
There's a star ahead
It will guide you, little donkey
To a cattle shed.

Chorus
Ring out those bells tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem
Follow that star tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem.

Eric Boswell


Worn out. Exhausted. All they wanted was somewhere to sleep. And there was nowhere for them to stay.

Let’s imagine that scene long ago as Mary and Joseph arrived at the inn to find there was no room in the inn.



1)  A Welcome at the Stable in Bethlehem

Joseph:                   Don’t worry, Mary, there’s bound to be a room for us at this inn.

Mary:                      I’m so tired now, Joseph, and I’m sure the donkey minds as much as we do

Joseph:                   Let’s tie him up here, and we’ll knock on the door

Innkeeper:               Before you ask, we’re full. The world and his wife have come to Jerusalem

Innkeeper’s Wife:      … and there’s no room left

Joseph:                   But there must be something

Mary:                      If you don’t mind, please help us

Joseph:                   We’ve travelled so far, us and the donkey

Innkeeper:               Donkey?

Innkeeper’s Wife:      Husband, they have a donkey

Innkeeper:               Well, why didn’t you say?

Innkeeper’s Wife:      There’s a stable, you see, for donkeys and such

Innkeeper:               And if you don’t mind

Mary and Joseph:      We don’t mind

Innkeeper               Welcome, weary travellers, you’ve come a very long way. 
Come into the barn and you can sleep on the hay if you don’t mind,
The lambs won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The horse won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The hens won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The sheep won’t mind, if you don’t mind

Mary and Joseph       We don’t mind, let’s go inside and sleep upon the hay

Innkeeper’s wife:       It’s all very well the sheep not minding, but what if I mind?

Innkeeper:               If you don’t mind, the goat won’t mind
The geese won’t mind
The cat won’t mind
The mice won’t mind

Innkeeper’s Wife:      And the donkey won’t mind

Innkeeper:               You can come into the stable and sleep on the hay


Welcome weary travellers, you’ve come a long, long way
The barn is free if you don’t mind
Sleeping on the hay, oh sleeping on the hay.

Chorus
If you don’t mind, the ox won’t mind
The lambs won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The horse won’t mind, the hens won’t mind
The sheep won’t mind, if you don’t mind
Oh, sleeping on the hay, oh sleeping on the hay.
     If you don’t mind, the goat won’t mind
    The geese won’t mind, if you don’t mind
    The cow won’t mind, the cat won’t mind
    The mice won’t mind, if you don’t mind
   Oh, sleeping on the hay, oh sleeping on the hay

Verse 4 sung by Hy-Spirit
Hush the moon is rising and the winter stars are bright
All the travellers fast asleep
Peaceful Christmas night, oh peaceful Christmas night
Hush the moon is rising
and the winter stars are bright
All the travellers fast asleep

Richard          Mind you, before they slept that night so much had happened. No sooner had the baby been born, shepherds came.  They had been so frightened. When they arrived they were so excited. All the angel had said had come true:

Reader 1        ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’

Seeing the baby Jesus in the manger they were so filled with joy they felt like singing with the angels

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
                   and on earth peace

Richard          But it was a scary world. The days passed. The baby was tiny. And then there was trouble. Big trouble. It all started when Magi arrived from the east

Reader 2        On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Richard          But they had made a mistake. A big mistake. They had not known where to find the one born to be king. And so they called at the palace of King Herod and asked a fateful question.

Reader 2        ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?
For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to worship him.’

Herod was angry. One born to be king? But he was king of the Jews. He hatched a plot.

“Go to Bethlehem and when you find the one born to be king report back to me and tell me where he is.”

His plan was to destroy the new born king.

Those Magi presented their gifts. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Richard          When he found out King Herod was filled with rage. He summoned his soldiers and dispatched them to Bethlehem.

Then it was that Joseph had a dream.

Reader 3        Now after the Magi had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,

‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt,
and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child,
to destroy him.’

Richard          So it was that Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and fled – it was an even more terrifying journey that took them south, across the Sinai desert towards the distant land of Egypt.

What must they have felt like at the end of such a long journey?

Worn out. Exhausted. All they wanted was somewhere to sleep. And there was nowhere for them to stay.

Maybe there was another stranger ready to take them in … maybe there was another stable, rough and ready but welcoming nonetheless.

Let’s imagine the scene at another stable, this time in faraway Egypt …




2) A Welcome at the Stable in Egypt

Joseph:                   Don’t worry, Mary, there must be somewhere in Egypt we can stay

Mary :                     I’m not really worried, Joseph,  but Jesus is so young

Innkeeper:               Who’s there?  You should knock.  No good chatting amongst yourselves if you want something …

Innkeeper’s Wife:      … and with a little one too.  I’d mind if it were my child

Joseph:                   Do you have a room, please?

Innkeeper:               For just the night?  With a view of a pyramid?

Innkeeper’s Wife:      Don’t tease them, husband.  Sorry, but there’s no room

Innkeeper:               We’ve been so busy since the Magi stayed.  Good for business

Innkeeper’s Wife:      … and their camels – they stayed in our little stable

Joseph:                   We have a donkey.  Will that do?

Inkeeper:                Well, why didn’t you say?

Innkeeper’s Wife:      The stable’s fine for camels and such

Innkeeper:               And if you don’t mind

Mary and Joseph:      We don’t mind

Innkeeper:              Welcome, weary travellers, you’ve come a very long way.  Come into the barn and you can sleep on the hay if you don’t mind,
The lambs won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The horse won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The hens won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The sheep won’t mind, if you don’t mind

Mary and Joseph      We don’t mind, let’s go inside and sleep upon the hay

Farmer’s wife:           It’s all very well the sheep not minding, but what if I mind?

Farmer:                   If you don’t mind, the goat won’t mind
The geese won’t mind
The cat won’t mind
The mice won’t mind

Innkeeper’s Wife:      and the camel, I mean donkey, won’t mind

Innkeeper:               you can come into the stable and sleep on the hay
Richard                   Let’s join in singing that Egyptian innkeeper’s song … for he said

Welcome weary travellers, you’ve come a long, long way
The barn is free if you don’t mind
Sleeping on the hay, oh sleeping on the hay.


Sing Refugee Carol verse 3 to the end

(He said), Welcome weary travellers, you’ve come a long, long way
The barn is free if you don’t mind
Sleeping on the hay, oh sleeping on the hay.

Chorus
If you don’t mind, the ox won’t mind
The lambs won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The horse won’t mind, the hens won’t mind
The sheep won’t mind, if you don’t mind
Oh, sleeping on the hay, oh sleeping on the hay.
 
If you don’t mind, the goat won’t mind
  The geese won’t mind, if you don’t mind
  The cow won’t mind, the cat won’t mind
  The mice won’t mind, if you don’t mind
  Oh, sleeping on the hay, oh sleeping on the hay.

Verse 4 – sung by Hy-Spirit
Hush the moon is rising and the winter stars are bright
All the travellers fast asleep
Peaceful Christmas night, oh peaceful Christmas Hush the moon is rising
and the winter stars are bright
all the travellers fast asleep, Peaceful Christmas night . . . . peaceful Christmas night.

Richard          Joseph and Mary and the baby Jesus stayed there – and the baby began to crawl – and the baby began to take his first steps. And still Joseph and Mary and the baby Jesus stayed there … and then they heard the news. Herod had died. Not before there had been a lot bloodshed in Bethlehem.

Reader 4        When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said,

‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.’

Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee.

There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazorean.’

Richard          And the baby grew to be a man who taught, Love God, love your neighbour, love your enemy too, Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse.

He brought healing to hurting people.

And he was arrested, tried, crucified. He died and he was buried. And on the third day he rose again from the dead.

And ever since people have followed in his footsteps and found in him the light of life.

And people have remembered Joseph and Mary, they have remembered the innkeeper who found them refuge, and they have remembered those nameless ones in Egypt who welcomed them in.

And as people have remembered, so they have given a welcome to people who flee from warfare and suffering. There’s a story to the new carol we’ve been singing. It’s called The Refugee Carol and it’s by Nick Vall. It’s a new carol for this year and it describes Christmas Eve, a long journey, a barn full of farm animals…

This new carol describes something more: it descibes  the plight of many refugees and focuses on a very personal story. Nick Vall tells his story.

In 1956, when I was eight years old, there was a revolution in Hungary, the country which had always been home for generations of my family. There were battles in the streets. Many people died.

It became very dangerous for us, and my parents decided to escape into Austria.

We left Budapest late on Christmas Eve, my parents, my older sister and me. We made the first part of our journey hidden in the mail van of a train heading for the border.

Then, in the dark, we had to walk for hours across snow covered fields. There was a light in the distance to guide us, and it led us to a large barn where kind people welcomed us. There were hot drinks and simple food, and some chocolates for the children.

Then the farmer showed us where we could sleep – on the hay which he had spread to make a bed for us to lie on.

And he said, with a whimsical smile: Don't be nervous about the animals, they don't mind sharing.

This was the start of our new life as Refugees.

When they heard that story, our X-Stream group worked at putting it into a little play – and this is the script they came up with. They had in mind all the news we have seen of so many refugees this last year too.




3) A Welcome at the Stable in Austria

Refugee:                 We crossed the wild and stormy seas

Child:                      Terrifying!

Refugee:                 … and when we reached dry land we walked

Child:                      … for days and days we walked. It was so tiring!

Refugee:                 The fields were frozen and icy

Child:                       but we could see a light

Refugee:                 Yes, and a farmer standing by his gate

Child:                      and it was Christmas Eve.

Farmer:                   Welcome, weary travellers, you’ve come a very long way.  Come into the barn and you can sleep on the hay if you don’t mind,
The lambs won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The horse won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The hens won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The sheep won’t mind, if you don’t mind

Refugee & child:       We don’t mind, let’s go inside and sleep upon the hay

Farmer’s wife:           It’s all very well the sheep not minding, but what if I mind?

Farmer:                   If you don’t mind, the goat won’t mind
The geese won’t mind
The cat won’t mind
The mice won’t mind

Refugee & children:  We don’t mind, let’s go inside and sleep upon the hay


And this year there are many who have had to flee as refugees – and some have found a welcome, not least here in Cheltenham …

Let’s sing the whole of Nick Vall’s carol and think of the welcome we can give in our hearts to those who are refugees and flee war and persecution.




The Refugee Carol
Verse 1
First they faced the dangers of the wild and stormy seas
Then they walked, for days they walked
The tired refugees, oh tired refugees

Verse 2
As they crossed the frozen fields far off they saw a light
The farmer standing by his gate
So late on Christmas night, oh late on Christmas night

Verse 3
 “Welcome weary travellers, you’ve come a long, long way
The barn is free if you don’t mind
Sleeping on the hay, oh sleeping on the hay.”

Chorus
If you don’t mind the ox won’t mind
The lambs won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The horse won’t mind, the hens won’t mind
The sheep won’t mind, if you don’t mind
Oh, sleeping on the hay
Oh, sleeping on the hay
If you don’t mind the goat won’t mind
The geese won’t mind, if you don’t mind
The cow won’t mind, the cat won’t mind
The mice won’t mind, if you don’t mind
Oh, sleeping on the hay
Oh, sleeping on the hay

Verse 4 – sung by HySpirit
Hush the moon is rising and the winter stars are bright
All the travellers fast asleep
Peaceful Christmas night, oh peaceful Christmas (night)*
Hush the moon is rising and the winter stars are bright (stars are bright)*
All the travellers fast asleep
Peaceful Christmas night, oh… peaceful Christmas night




Comment

When we see devastating images of war
and hear the inconsolable cries of those
who have lost homes, livelihoods
and loved ones,
our hearts break.

We’ve been praying for and with the Persecuted Church around the Middle East at some of our Explore evenings. On video and in a guided reflection we came face to face with Shaida Qubti, a Palestinian, Arab Christian and Ambreen Ben-Shmuel, an Israeli, Messianic Jew, two women who have come together in a ground-breaking movement for Reconciliation called Musalaha, which is the word for Reconciliation in Arabic.

We put together and shared a service around the theme of Reconciliation. We were moved by the words of Samir, whose grand daughter had been killed in a bombing of an Egyptian, Coptic Christian Church and who yet spoke of going to church more regularly, more faithfully and spoke remarkably of his faith:
 “Our religion teaches us to forgive. It teaches us to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us. And to pray for those who hurt us. Yes we will forgive them despite all the blood that was spilled. Our faith tells us to forgive.”

In the face of so much
suffering and despair,
how we need the living Lord, Jesus Christ to help us
to see with his eyes,
to hear with his ears,
to think with his mind,
to speak with his lips,
to walk with his feet,
to love with his heart,
so that we can reach out
with the hands of Jesus and
be futuremakers
to our brothers and sisters
in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon,
Egypt and Syria and around the Middle East.

How we long for leaders to be raised up in the Middle East
who will turn from violence and seek
God’s ways of peace and so
act justly, love mercy
and walk humbly with God.

So we remember the Persecuted Church in our prayers in a moment – but also remember the squalor of a borrowed stable where Joseph and Mary found refuge, the squalor of a borrowed stable where Joseph and Mary and the baby Jesus found refuge in their flight to Egypt, the squalor of a borrowed stable where Nick Vall and his family found refuge in 1956. And let’s remember the welcome refugees have found … and we are called to offer, not least here in Cheltenham.
Carol with Hy-Spirit – From the squalor of a borrowed stable – new words recapping the story

From the squalor of a borrowed stable,
by the Spirit and a virgin's faith;'
to the anguish
and the shame of scandal
came the saviour
of the human race!
But the skies were filled
with the praise of heaven,
shepherds listen as the angels tell
of the gift of God     
come down to man
at the dawning of Immanuel.

From their watching
on that starlit hillside
Shepherds come with love
to hail the King,
Sent by God  
to represent the humble     
Simple childlike gifts
to him they bring.
And they leave the stable with
hearts of joy,
Go to neighbours
with a tale to tell
Of the starry night
when the angels sang,
Glorious heralds of Immanuel.

From the East the wise men bring
their presents
Frankincense to stand
for fervent prayer,
Gold to symbolise
his kingly status,
Death and sacrifice
shown by the myrrh
Their prophetic gifts,
which they offer him,
Tell the story
that we know so well
Of the little King
born in Bethlehem
Jesus, Saviour, our Immanuel.

As with hate and rage
our world is stricken
Warring factions
fight to stake their claim,
And injustice flows in every nation,
So we crucify the Saviour's name.
God will hear our cry
if we call on him,
Love and mercy have defeated hell.
Let us hear again
what the angels sing
Peace is brought by our Immanuel.


Music & verse I Stuart Townend © 1999
Kingsway's Thankyou Music
Verses 2,3,4, Paul Collacott

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Carol – 310 See him a lying on a bed of straw.

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