Douglas Union of Parishes with Frankfield Advent & Christmas 2020 Parish Matters quiet corner of an outhouse. It attend concerts, enjoy office parties From the Rector: involved a vulnerable young woman and sing carols in packed churches, and her confused husband. The we might see the Nativity with fresh This Christmas will be like no other visitors were humble men who had eyes. we have experienced, after a year an occupation that was not highly that has been unprecedented in our valued. They came in from the fields Remember, worship is available lifetime. Yet some things do not and were the first to understand the online in the parish if you are not in a change. In this edition of PARISH significance of this birth. Others position to attend church. MATTERS you will see a cartoon were travelling too, but from a very Remember Christmas is not one day reminding us that the first Christmas different culture and religion. They but 12, so there is ample opportunity was a quiet affair, unnoticed by most too were outsiders, but in a different for you to get to church given all the of a busy world. While the gospels way. Everyone else passed by services on offer in our buildings tell us of census collection for oblivious to what God was doing in between Christmas Eve and th taxation purposes to support an the world through this unique child. Epiphany on 6 January. Remember, occupying Roman army and civic the Christ child is with you in your officials, the real action of universal Maybe this Christmas, as we don’t homes and most importantly in significance was happening in the have the same opportunity to shop, your hearts in this most unusual year. On-Line Services for December and Christmas are available on the Parish YouTube channel. You can search for Douglas Union God bless you all, with Frankfield YouTube Adrian There will be a Carol Service available on 20th December, a Crib Service on 24th December and the Christmas Service available at 9pm Christmas Eve. 2 with the prophets ringing bells and A favourite of the Old singing choirs. The Testament, who first three times it is Advent Hymn looked forward to sung it ends with a the coming of the question, ‘who will Hymn 133 – Long ago, prophets Messiah. Verse make him welcome?’ knew Christ would come, born a three focuses on It is an important Jew. Mary. We can have thing to consider, in a sentimental view fact probably the This is one of my favourite hymns of her, but this verse reminds us most important question you will sung during Advent. For singers, that though, as a young woman, ever ask yourself. It goes right to it can be tricky to come in on the she was afraid of the the heart of our faith and what it right beat with its seven note consequences of bearing a child means to be a Christian. Are we all octave introduction, but when outside wedlock, ‘she believed, so busy and preoccupied that we you get started it is a great and she obeyed’. This is a strong and bypass the essential meaning of familiar tune, which is easy to determined young woman what this season is really about? I sing so everyone can join in prepared to put her trust in God no hope not. The last time we sing enthusiastically! The tune is matter what the personal the chorus the mood changes and PERSONENT HODIE. It is very consequences. Verse 4 points very the words are different. ‘Jesus traditional and the earliest known much towards Christmas. The comes! Jesus comes! We will make source of it was found in a ‘stable door stands ajar’ so that him welcome.’ How precisely you manuscript dating to around the shepherds can enter to see will do that this Christmas, which 1360. The arrangement in our and worship the Christ child. We will be different from normal in a hymnal is a strong unison version are also told that Bethlehem whole host of ways, I will leave for by Gustav Holst, who is perhaps ‘shines like a star’, suggesting the you to consider. Only you can best known as the composer of journey the Magi or Wise Men are decide. ‘The Planets’. on from the East as they search for A. Wilkinson The words of this hymn were the promised Saviour and king. written by Fred Pratt Green is But perhaps the thing I like most 1970. It sums up ‘God’s timeless about the hymn is the question it plan’ over the centuries, starting poses for us all. The chorus talks of Church Services for Christmas are as follows: Sunday 20 December 8.30 Holy Communion Blackrock 9.45 Service of the Word Passage 10.00 Service of the Word Frankfield 11.15 Service of the Word Douglas Christmas Eve 7.00pm Holy Communion Passage 9.00pm Holy Communion Frankfield Christmas Day 8.30 Holy Communion Blackrock 10.00 Holy Communion Frankfield 11.15 Holy Communion Douglas Sunday 27 December 11.00 Holy Communion Passage 3 St Luke’s The summer involved much logistical Christmas Quiz 2020 School planning in Reflections on preparation for re- Can you work out the School Life since opening in late names of the Christmas Lockdown: August. We were carols or songs who have delighted to welcome all lost their vowels? by Olwen our pupils back, There are 2 prizes: for the first Anderson providing them with a much needed sense of normality. After correct entry delivered to the Rectory and the first correct When schools closed suddenly on an extended period of closure, we th entry emailed to March 12 this year, the sense of all have a renewed appreciation [email protected] shock reverberated throughout for the importance of the school the entire school community. experience in the lives of children. Parents collected children that Example : afternoon, not knowing what to Schools have coped well under expect over the coming days and difficult circumstances but we do hrkthhrldnglssng: Hark the herald weeks. We scrambled to prepare have challenges including the loss angels sing of the ‘whole-school’ feeling. To work, pack schoolbags and counteract this, our weekly organise teacher resources while 1. wynmngr also maintaining a sense of assembly has moved to an intercom assembly or, when 2. whtchrstms outward calm. Some pupils were 3. tcmpnmdnghtclr delighted to have two weeks ‘off’, weather permits, an outdoor 4. cmllyfthfl others were anxious about the socially distanced assembly with 5. sntclsscmngttwn uncertainty. Archdeacon Wilkinson. 6. ntssbrnsn Our focus has now turned to Over the following weeks and 7. lttldnky creative ways of doing the usual in months teachers, pupils and 8. swmmmykssngsntcls a different way. Our annual parents learned many new skills, 9. gdchrstnsllrjc while also becoming adept at Christmas Fair has become ‘All th 10.whlshphrdswtchd using Google Classroom. the Fun of the Fair’ with 6 Class 11.jnglbllrck Teachers worked tirelessly to organising socially distanced 12.smdthwntrssnw create meaningful learning activities for each class. Our experiences under very annual Christmas service has 13.wwshymrrychrstms challenging circumstances. moved online with the ‘Eight 14.thfrstnwll Parents too, most working from Classes of Christmas’ video, each 15.jytthwrld home, were helping their children class recording a short piece and 16.hlynght log on each day to complete parents accessing this online. 17.nthblkmdwntr assigned work. We were So many of our extra activities are 18.ndlcjbl delighted that, at the end of the on hold. However, pupils are very 19.llwntfrchrstmssy summer, our Sixth Class had resilient and school staff are ever 20.drvnghmfrchrstms enough material for their teacher hopeful so we look to the future to create a’ Lockdown Book’ with hope and expectation of a chronicling their work and life better year ahead. during lockdown. A copy of the book was given to each pupil leaving the school as a graduation gift. 4 Christmas in the answer The always is and Christmas Sweden by Barbro the brimful bag season McCutcheon is delivered. In continued Christmas – Jul in Swedish – our home it was with visits to conjures up such a feeling of always my the family warmth. In Sweden, where father who and friends. winters are dark and cold, we handed out the Nobody won’t talk about climate change presents. For would say here, it is very much anticipated. each member of ‘How did you the extended family he also wrote get on over Christmas? on St Although it is still Advent on the and read out a long poem about Stephen’s Day. Christmas 13th December, the feast day of our activities during the year. It decorations would not be taken St. Lucia is for many the was always exciting and down until after Epiphany, when beginning of sometimes nerve the Christmas season would often Christmas. The racking! We were come to an end with a children’s story of the also trying to make party. mediaeval saint in a similar effort, not Sicily and a always very I feel very privileged to have legendary successful, but it grown up in one tradition and Swedish woman added to the fun. lived most of my adult life in who gave all she another. had to the needy, Christmas morning has got mixed up. meant early Morning Service St. Lucia, with a crown of lights on after which a very her head, and her big and active attendants are all dressed in youth club gathered in the parish white and sing hymns and carols hall for coffee and of course while serving coffee and cinnamon buns.