Looking to the Light

2009-11-25

The Christmas lights went on here in Gravesend on 14th November and next week children in the town will be able to visit Santa Claus in St George's shopping centre.

It may seem early to start celebrating Christmas but I'm glad that the focus in the town is on Christmas, and it was good to stand down by the river today, looking up the High Street with a sign in lights wishing a 'Merry Christmas'!

Beyond that, in my view, it's up to the churches to remind folk of the particular importance of Christmas in the Christian story.  There are plenty of opportunities for doing that.  We'll be out singing carols, for one thing, each one reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas.  Then there'll be the Nativity plays in schools and churches, giving so many people the chance to appreciate the Christmas story once again.  And across the country there'll be posters appearing on bus stops and billboards, not to mention radio.  If you fancy finding out more, take a look at www.churchads.net.  Then, of course, our churches will be welcoming people to their services of celebration.

Last Saturday saw the different faiths found in Gravesend coming together to discover how we each mark festivals in our religious calendars using light.  There were some great presentations from young Sikh people, Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish and Baha'i as well as Christian.  I was particularly fascinated to learn more about the Swedish Saint Lucia festival, telling how St Lucia appeared one dark, cold night in winter bringing both light and food to the people of Sweden.  The celebration of that event is on 13th December and it's the start of the Swedish Christmas season.

In Christianity, Jesus is often spoken of as the Light of the World and it's marking the arrival of that light that we look forward to in four weeks time, with Advent Sunday this coming Sunday as the start of our time of preparation.  Yes, amid all the tinsel and the glitter it will be important to take time to be sure we are ready, not just for the cards and the presents but for what Christians believe is the greatest gift of all, the birth of Jesus.