A CHRISTMAS REVIEW

Sorry that December passed without a single blog post, but the month became (enjoyably) busy. It's part of the clerical profession that we become a bit singleminded in December (which I appreciate doesn't always make us easy to live with) and so it was this year. I also found distraction in my free time. So here's a review of what went on over the last month.


A Fairer Christmas

December began with the Christmas Fair at St Peter's, which blessedly raised £900 despite poor attendance. Most of the profit comes from selling raffle tickets to people outside the parish, usually people's work colleagues; some lawyers and call-centre operatives must dread this time of year! The Fair was much improved this year by a portion of the St Peter's School Choir coming to sing carols on the pavement outside, which boosted the atmosphere and gave an infusion of new customers. It was really good to feel some positive collaboration from the school.

Santa Claus comes and visits St Peter's, holding court in a grotto laboriously constructed in the Meeting Room, to which his "little helper" escorts the children. This year Santa had a new suit, which turned out to be much thicker than the old one, and since the temperature was 15 degrees outside, Santa got very hot. When he removed his big, black belt the inside of it was beaded with sweat! I had gone to buy the new suit in the summer, thinking myself very shrewd, only to be told that they didn't get their stock in until after Hallowe'en, which basically gave a panicky three week window to carry out this errand. Still, Santa appreciated it, and it did its job, as he went unrecognised by a ten year old, not to mention a seven year old at whose house Santa often dines. Santa's confidence was so improved by this new suit that he's contemplating making a festive arrival with bells next time, instead of just sneaking round the back. In the old suit, Santa basically had to remain seated for fear that his trousers would fall down and his jacket flap open (to say nothing of his beard coming adrift, secured as it was with blu-tac). 


A Feast of Carols

The Carol Service was a resounding success, largely thanks to the Corisande Singers, who joined us for the fifth time. We weren't able to have them in 2017, because we had to have the service at St Peter's, where there is no room for a choir, but this year we were back in St Mary Magdalene's, and so they were back with us. The arrangements were a bit provisional, but we learnt for the future. Because our new boiler will be in the plant room in the new extension we are having to use temporary heating, with electric overhead radiant heaters. These are a bit disconcerting; one of the readers at the service remarked afterwards that she had been lovely and warm sitting under the heater, but when she stood at the lectern to read, she could suddenly see her own breath. They don't heat the atmosphere, but solid things in range of them. People ask how early they should put them on and I have to explain that all that achieves is warming up the seats, possibly to an uncomfortable degree, so it's really not worth it. The fringe benefit of the radiant heaters is that they emit a pleasing amber glow, which turned out to be very useful as we didn't have an appropriate setting for the lights. I had spent some time discussing settings, and then going through programming with the engineer, a couple of months ago, but I seem to have omitted to plan one which works for a "candlelit" service. It was either too bright or too dark, until the heaters rescued the dark setting. I need to get the engineer back to sort that out.

Among the readers we had the heads of both primary schools, the chairman of the Music Society, the organiser of the Lunch Club, and a St Peter's young person, so there was a reasonable cross-section of who we are. The choir also sang a composition by a member of the congregation, Marcus (who is actually a professional violinist) which was lovely. In fact they sang it two years ago as well, but I'm not sure Marcus has actually been present to hear it on either occasion. It was very pleasing that several people who have got involved in the Project over the past couple of years, through volunteering or fundraising, were in the congregation, and joined us for mince pies and mulled wine afterwards.Everyone was very excited by how the church looks now. 


Christingle at Fifty

"So what is a Christingle?" they say. Well, huge numbers of people who have attended (or worked in) a C of E primary school in the last forty years or so will know the answer, because the Christingle Service  (first introduced to the UK by the Church of England Children's Society in 1968) has become a part of Christmas tradition in many schools. The combination of oranges, candles and sweeties is a powerful one. It's also found its way into parish life, particularly where there are lots of children. Long ago, in Plymstock, I was introduced to the idea of doing it at 5pm on Christmas Eve, as a time that was socially useful (one parent would wrap presents while the other took children to church for a while). It was the youth group leaders who had that insight, and quite right they were. I did it that way until 2017, when Christmas Eve was Sunday and I didn't think it was fair to ask the organist to do 9.30 and 11am, then come back for 5pm, as well as 11pm. I also didn't think many people would turn up, so I brought it forward to the Friday before Christmas, and numbers were halved. I was told people had already gone away. This year I brought it forward to the Thursday, when most schools hadn't yet broken up; same numbers as last year. Next time we shall go back to Christmas Eve.  I hope we shall have a better collection to send to the Children's Society.


A Midnight Clear

The congregation at Midnight Mass was well-behaved; that's the first thing for which to give thanks. In Exeter, when I was a curate, we were next door to the Prince Albert and across the road from the Sawyers' Arms, and it helped to have a large sidesman standing just inside the door to keep order and effect removals. St Mary Magdalene's no longer has an adjacent boozer, so we don't have that problem, and the drunks in the regular congregation have known how to behave. It's best if the regulars have their wits about them, as we all have loads of strangers at Midnight, who of course don't know when to stand or sit (despite it being perfectly clear on the sheet) or when to respond, which can be a bit disconcerting. You never really know how many people will come on Christmas Eve, but it was a good turnout, in response to minimal publicity.

I have gained myself more tellings-off for music choices at Midnight than any other occasion, and it is clear that some carols are regarded by some members of the congregation as permanently fixed in particular spots in the Mass. So this year I was unadventurous. I ensured that we did sing some of those that make me cry, but not merely all my favourites. We even sang "While Shepherds" to "Winchester New", which is generally agreed to be the dullest  carol known to mankind (I was nearly assaulted after setting it to "Lyngham" once) and I smiled cheerily.

We now have the altar at the top of the chancel steps, and it is tremendous presiding there, as you look out at the painted ceiling of the nave and up at the painted chancel vault and think of all the saints joining you in worship. The restoration has certainly been worthwhile from my point of view! Lots of the visitors have also been impressed, of course.   


Morning Glory

There's always the chance that the morning Mass on Christmas Day will feel like an anti-climax after the excitement of Midnight, and it's often a struggle to get servers to turn out, but we usually get a decent congregation at St Peter's, and we sing some different (but still familiar) carols. As my brother-in-law stays, and actually listens to sermons, I have no chance of  saying the same thing twice, so I usually spend the afternoon of Christmas Eve hoping to gain inspiration for the morning's sermon from the King's College Carol Service. I think we managed all right for ideas this year, but it can be a struggle to say something new (or something familiar in a new way). In fact the service was lovely, and special in its own terms. I was given more presents, including a couple of white teeshirts, which might seem odd, but that family have given me vests in the past, and it's terribly kind of them. At the end you can really say "Hodie Christus natus est!"