Well here we go! Having committed at the 10:00 service at St Peter and St Paul this morning to share my experiences of following Stephen Cottrell's book Do Nothing Christmas is Coming I've set up this blog and am publicising widely - it would be rather embarrassing if nobody read it!
I was prompted to do this by a chain of events: firstly Vicar Rosie has been plugging the book as a way of getting Christmas into a Christian perspective: she hoped that someone would record their experiences for the Parish Magazine; then the editor pointedly repeated Rosie's hope to me - so I thought I'd go one better, hence this blog.
However, while the trigger for this blog is the book, I hope to keep it going - if not every day - with a range of things including the enjoyable time I'm having as Churchwarden and my other interests.
Steven Cottrell's book, of you're not familiar with it, has as subtitle An Advent Calendar with a Difference. It contains some advice and challenging activities for each day of advent. I shall by trying to follow the advice and record my experiences here.
Please use the comment option on the blog to add your comments or, better still, your experience if you, too, are following the calendar. If you haven't got a copy of the book and would like one, it's available from booksellers - St Andrew's Bookshop in Great Missenden has copies or you can order online at http://www.standrewsbookshop.co.uk/9780715141649
5 comments:
Well I never start thinking about Christmas until today as I have two important birthdays in November Paul and Natasha. I have some charity cards left over from last year and have some ordered from school with a design by Natasha. We have managed to find our reusable Advent calender made of wood with nice ornaments to put up and I resisted Natasha's request for a chocolate High School musical one in M and S . So not doing too badly so far .
The hard bit for me will be pruning the Christmas card list.
Don't forget we will have a board in church for you to display a card to all your friends there and donate a little to charity with the money you save on cards and stamps!
Well about that staff meeting later -----to go or do nothing!!!!!
Delighted you are doing this blog -lets hope it catches on.
It is never simple is it? Prompted to think about all those cards, I mentioned to a friend that I was only going to send cards to people I couldn't see over Christmas. She felt bad about that as being surrounded by cards from her friends and family was important and meaningful for her.Same applies to not writing 'must see you this year' -its a way of saying that I value their friendship -even though we bot know that actually meeting up is a pretty remote hope.
I started my cards on Saturday, I have my Mums to do as well, but certainly won't be making promises I can't keep.I told the joke to people at work today and they want to know what tomorrow has to hold. An excellent way of spreading a peaceful advent. Who knows wher it will lead.
great idea!
I had a bit of a shock on Sunday as the first of the Advent candles was lit - no cake made, no cards written and only a few presents bought. Does it matter? Well no, as we have agreed as a family to keep things simple this year and try to maintain a balance. Our Christmas card list will be pruned but we do want to keep in touch with old friends and folk who are dear to us. A card will wing its way to the board at P&P!
The challenge from the church here is to introduce Christmas to someone: Christmas meaning Christ's Mass or simply 'meeting Christ' which is something that can be quite difficult to do in the midst of all the glitz and glitter!
Love the idea of making presents -but WHEN? We did the charity Christmas present thing last year in our family -it was such hard work finding anything half way attractive or useful I vowed 'never again'
Maybe this is the year to be modest in your spending because everyone will see it as wise rather than mean.
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