This is my annual appeal to encourage Christians to tell the story of Christmas as recorded in the Bible. The word 'myth' technically does not mean a falsehood but I have used it (incorrectly as a verb) in the sense of a fantasy rather than a true story. The story is important to the gospel and Christmas provides many opportunities for sharing it with people who do not normally come to church. But we do no favours if we embellish the biblical account with all the traditional trappings.
This starts usually with the 'little donkey' song. I have never been sure that a heavily pregnant woman would have found riding a donkey the most comfortable, and a cushioned cart is probably more likely. Joseph did not do the rounds of 'Ye Olde Bethlehem Inns' as the word translated 'Inn' is most usually used to refer to an upper room guest chamber. We even have to be careful about a stable. Some traditions suggest a cave. What we do know was that the baby Jesus was laid in a manger. However the typical manger used in crib scenes is wholly unrealistic as a feeding vessel for animals. Sheep eat grass, cattle, horses, and donkeys etc that eat hay would not eat it from a trough but usually a basket type arrangement fixed to a wall. The shepherds hurried off so they must have left their sheep and did not bring a lamb as a gift for Jesus (the sheep would not be their own to give away any way). There is no reference to angels in the place where Jesus was born. At the time of the announcement there is no suggestion of them hanging from space. The wise men (not kings) found Jesus in a house, not a stable and the Bible does not say there were only three of them.There certainly was no little drummer boy!
While I do not suggest we should be so pedantic that we cannot tolerate a little license in the telling, I do ask that as far as we can we stick to facts. It might be useful to avoid the use of 'fabulous' and 'fantastic' when telling the story too. There is plenty of fantasy around Christmas with Santa on his flying sleigh and popping down and up chimneys! That I can live with; just let's make sure we don't confuse the facts and the fantasy please.
An Introductory Webinar
Next Saturday 13th December at 9.00 am I intend to run an introductory webinar as a practise for the series of online seminars we intend to run throughout 2015. This will last no more than 30 minutes. I will email you the details of how you can participate in this as I shall need a reasonable number of people. It will cost you nothing. You do not need to speak but you will have opportunity to interact and can type in questions if you wish. I will try to answer all the questions. All you need to be connected to the internet with either your speakers turned on or wearing headphones. More information will come in an email to you. Your presence online for this simple practise run will be very helpful.
From the diary
On Sunday 30th November I took the morning service at HMP Gartree where there was a good attendance. The meeting focused on a personal relationship with God and the privilege of knowing God as a friend. It was very well received and several testified to this making a change in their lives. On Monday and Tuesday I had two school assemblies where I used a special Advent talk I have written. This is based on the story that Jesus told of wise and foolish virgins, but there are no virgins in my version. You can read and download the story here. On both occasions it was well received by children and school staff.
This past weekend was marked by a commemoration of an air collision between two Canadian Air Force bombers over our village of Yelvertoft. Large numbers were attracted to the two services I led and we welcomed honoured guests from Canada and other UK locations. More information is available on the church website. Pictures have yet to be added.
Sunday 7th December included the annual carol service at HMP Gartree with band and songsters from the famous Kettering Salvation Army Corps. The choir I help to lead sang one piece with the Songsters but also sang a piece on their own. We had chosen to sing Graham Kendrick's wonderful "Thorns among the straw". This had a profound impact on the congregation which included many from outside the prison as well as men from the wing. Some Salvationists testified to being moved to tears as men serving life sentences told the amazing story through this powerful song.
This is a typically busy week but I especially value your prayers on Tuesday when i will be back in prison and on Wednesday when I will be speaking at the annual Christmas Service for Torch Trust for the Blind. Next Sunday I will be leading the meeting at Yelvertoft.
I hope to meet up with you online on Saturday morning.
Thank you for your partnership through prayer and practical support.
Barry
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