Why am I reflecting on my
first Christmas as a Probationer Presbyter in the Methodist Church in
September? Surely Christmas is months
away!
Well, it is and it isn’t. I know that some of you who read yesterday’s
blog are just starting in Circuit today and thinking that Christmas is a long
way off, but it isn’t, it really, really isn’t.
Depending on when you
Circuit Plan is made it may be that before the end of September you will have
to decide what Christmas services you are taking, where and at what times. Unless you are one of those rare Presbyters
blessed with pastoral oversight of only one church then this will involve some
very careful juggling or somebody is going to be offended.
The actual Christmas
services aren’t all you will have to consider.
Some of the church groups will want you to join them for Christmas meals
and socials. There is Advent to consider
– are you going to run an Advent Course or prepare people spiritually for
Christmas in some way that is in addition to the regular Sunday services? Do any of your churches send out Christmas
cards to the community? What about
nativity plays? Shoebox Sunday?
I may be a Methodist Presbyter
but I’m also a typical man. For me the preparations
for Christmas usually begin around 20th December. That’s when I generally go out to buy cards
and presents, write said cards in a blur of frenzied activity that ensures the
handwriting in most of them is virtually illegible and wrestle with wrapping
paper and selloptape to produce something that bears a passing resemblance to a
wrapped present.
As a Presbyter I don’t
have the luxury of waiting until Christmas is nearly upon us. I was surprised by how rapidly Christmas came
upon me right at the beginning in Circuit.
By the middle of September I was already being asked about the design
and content of the Christmas card on of the churches sends to each house in the
village.
By the end of September I
had to sort out my plan dates for the Christmas services; which led to a
frantic round of phone calls as I tried to discover what my churches wanted
and/or expected of me. It didn’t help
that two churches both expected me to be with them on the same day at the same
time for two completely different types of service. Eventually it was all sorted out, but I have
already begun the consultations to find out the expectations for this year;
which may not necessarily be the same.
I thought it was all
sorted out. The cards were ordered, the
plan dates submitted and calm had descended upon my study. Surely that was it.
Suddenly, in the middle
of November, one of the churches I serve was asking me when the Advent Course
started. What Advent Course? The churches I have attended before beginning
my training had never had anything like that in Advent. Why hadn’t I been told of this sooner? The truth is that I was ignorant of the idea
of an Advent course and the church just assumed I would be organising and
leading one! A valuable lesson was
learnt about communication! I should
have thought to check if there was anything the church was expecting that I was
unaware of; the church probably should have mentioned it sooner.
Advent flew by swiftly; a
round of Christmas Fayres, Christmas Tree Festivals, meals and parties and
plenty of preaching and worship to help people prepare for the coming of Christmas.
Then the joys of
Christmas itself. Two carol services on
the Sunday before Christmas bringing with them a chance to bring the gospel to
those who perhaps don’t normally come to church – an opportunity not to be
missed!
My favourite service of
the year has always been Christmas Eve midnight Holy Communion and I had spent
my first few months looking forward to leading it for the first time. It did not disappoint! There was what can only be described as a
holy atmosphere in church, a profound sense of the sacred and divine, of the
very presence of God that left me reeling!
My first Christmas Day
service too, as a Probationer Presbyter, is one that will long live in my
mind. The joy of gathering with the
church family and leading them in Christmas worship is hard to put into words;
but I will treasure the memories of that day for many years to come.
Despite the rush towards
my first Christmas as a Probationer Presbyter it was a very rewarding,
spiritually uplifting and special time for me.
I pray that if you are a Probationer approaching your first Christmas
with your new church(es) that you will be as blessed as I was. I pray too that if you are in a church with a
new Presbyter, whether a Probationer or experienced minister of many years’
standing that you will remember that they don’t know everything you expect of
them for this coming Christmas and that you will help and guide them for their sake
and yours.
In my next post I will
reflect upon my first Easter.
No comments:
Post a Comment