Advent Four - Love

 The link to this week's live-streamed service is here.  The link for the Christmas eve service is here.

Are you ready? Is the last bow tied, the last cookie baked, the last ornament hung?  Good! 

Now take time to kneel by the manger, to look with wonder on the Christ child, to reflect with awe and thanksgiving on the gift God sent. Turn off "Deck the Hall" and listen to "Away in a Manger." 

Turn off the news and read Luke 2-- in the King James Version if you love poetic language, in a modern translation if that fills your soul. Read it aloud with people you love.

Come to the Christmas Eve candlelight service at SPPC. It is a beautiful time, with music and candles, prayer and reflection, and great joy.

Come to our Christmas morning service too. Come in your jeans or jammies. No formality on that morning, but lots of hugs and smiles and more joyful singing. "Come and behold Him, born the king of angels."

Make these last few days of Advent a truly waiting time, filled with anticipation, reverence and holy stillness.

Christmas Stories

     One of my favourite things about Boxing Day, is reading the new book I got for Christmas.  I love settling down with a good story and a turkey sandwich.
    But before I could read for myself, I loved listening to stories.  A constant cry in our house was "Mom, read us a story." I was reminded recently of the joy of being read to.  There's a unique relationship between the listener, the reader and the author that is quite wonderful.
So, for those of you who'd rather listen to a story than read one, here are some suggestions.

This one is a favourite of Rev. Irwin.
"The Shepherd" by Frederick Forsyth, read by Alan Maitland.

While we're with Mr. Maitland, you might enjoy listening to 
"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry.

Stuart McLean's "Dave Cooks the Turkey," is a modern classic.  You can listen to a broadcast of the whole show here. 

Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol," is a standard for dramatic readings.  You can listen to Neil Gaiman read it here.

Of course, the greatest Christmas story of all is found in the second chapter of Luke.  Listen to it here, the in language of King James.

Happy Boxing Day.