One last school Christmas event

Having reached the end of the journey with the 'Finding Talent' report I am now free to read what others have said on it but there is something of more merit, of more joy and of more encouragement for me as a bit of a low key cleric - the penultimate school service of the Christmas period!

Tonight I will be celebrating Christmas with one of our local schools and as this nears:

I have to say that I have been blessed by tiny children singing 'Glory to God' and telling the age old nativity story through fresh eyes (the eyes of a 'Stable Rat').

I have done Christingle services with children and had the joy of seeing them pass by on their way home with their glowstick 'Christ lights' shining in the darkness (please Lord, may it shine in their homes and in the lives of all who enter them).

I have prayed, read Bible passages, blessed and sung my heart out in the old familiar carols.

I have sung strange songs from foreign lands and been challenged by people who wanted to substitute 'Father' when speaking of God for the term 'Mother' (and one person even wanted God as an 'it'!).

I have endured folk religion and struggled with odd understanding relating to God and His Son, Jesus, the Christ (and not all of it was from the clergy ;-) )

BUT

I have to say that Jesus, the blesséd babe of Bethlehem has shone through and I want to express my Christmas wishes to each and every person who passes by this place of madness that is my blog. So I thought I'd wish each and every one of you a blessed and peaceful Christmas and give thanks for Mary's 'Yes' - God made flesh - Immanuel.