Monday Spot (14 December 2009)
After a busy day of carolling at ASDA and in Rochester High Street the Band joined with the Rainham Ladies Choir on Saturday evening to give a Christmas concert in the Dockyard Church. Watch out for an account later in the week.
in the High Street
Continuing our reference to individual Christmas carols on Sunday morning Major Beverley themed the meeting around ‘Hark the Herald’. Choosing songs 80 and 82 from the Salvation Army Song Book together with 877, 1404 and 935 from Song of Fellowship and ‘Mary’s Boy Child‘ she opened the meeting with a reading from Luke 2:8-14.
Major Beverley McCombe
The Singing Company and Songsters again provided musical contributions with ‘Away in a Manger’ (Singing Company) and ‘Simply Jesus’. (Songsters). The item from the Singing Company provided an opportunity for Jamie Woodhouse to sing his first solo.
first time for Jamie
Major Beverley spoke about the carol and said:
On this third Sunday of Advent how do we find joy in our Christian experience and belief in God? From history we know that Voltaire found no joy in his unbelief, Byron also,and Lord Beaconsfield confessed to having a very sad time. What a depressing start to a sermon! However, ‘Hark the Herald’ is a carol of great joy. In fact, the angels were having a party! They were really excited and lost no time in bursting into song. Why was this? They were singing to shepherds who were tough, burly, men doing a job most people thought was beneath them. And yet they were terrified of the angels who sang about peace. People often seek ‘Peace on Earth’, which fits in with our thoughts about Christmas and yet we learn that, throughout history, the world has had peace for less than 8% of its existence. But we can, and history records examples of such occasions, exchange gifts and come together even in wartime. So why has ‘Peace on Earth’ not really happened. Perhaps it is in our understanding of the meaning of peace in this context. The peace referred to is the peace of heart found in reconciling God with man. Many think that God’s rules are out of date, too sophisticated, but the baby Jesus brings reconciliation. God, in sending Jesus, showed mercy to mankind who didn’t deserve it. Our greatest need is for forgiveness and, to this end, God sent us a Saviour. No wonder the angels were excited!
In the evening it was the turn of Major Drew who chose songs 64, 86 and 84 from the Salvation Army Song Book and 298, 1607 and 2065 from Songs of Fellowship to support the theme ‘Why is this baby important – He is the Real Image’. The Band contributed ‘Thou must leave Thy lowly dwelling’ and the Songsters ‘A Manger filled with Love’, the scripture being from Colossians 1:15-20.
The message, delivered in three separate parts, included a DVD clip entitled ‘Peace Child’. Major Drew said:
let’s look at three images of the babe of Bethlehem. Firstly, we see God wrapped in vulnerable humanity, humble, not remote and something we can identify with. In the song in the DVD clip (Peace Child) it says God is ‘still to be found in the heart of a child’. There is a challenge to this image. What does it mean to us? We have a responsibility to be the image of Christ. Secondly, we see not only vulnerability but a Saviour; one who would give everything so that we might be free. The unique contribution of the Christian faith is ‘grace’. When we search we will find because Christ has already done that which is necessary for our salvation. that’s the ‘Good News’. Thirdly, the baby was born as a king to be worshipped above everything else. People sometimes put Jesus first in a number of ways but leave Him out of a great many as well. He must be put first in every part of our lives, not just when we have times of need. He is the King, the one to be truly worshipped. When you look at Jesus, which image do you see?
Major Drew McCombe
The coming week is the last full one before Christmas and engagements include events in Rochester Cathedral and Bluewater Shopping Centre as well as Chatham High Street and a couple of residences for older people. Again it promises to be busy but will provide opportunity to meet with our local community and bring the real Christmas message to the people.
Next Sunday we look forward to Carol Services in both meetings. The morning will feature KAOS (Kids Alive on Sunday) and be sure that’s not a misnomer. They’re alive alright and really looking forward to the ‘big day’. In the evening we shall be enjoying our own corps Carol Service featuring as many of the activity groups within our structure as possible. It promises to be a great day and we invite any readers who live close enough to join us at 10am and/or 6pm.
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