It comes around like clockwork every year, and in that sense Christmas at Hertford Baptist Church this year was like any other. Yet, it is in the familiarity with the nativity stories, carols, mince pies, and celebration that the church comes face to face once more with the reality that Jesus stepped into our world to be among us and the whole world sang. Our Sunday morning’s picked up on the Songs of Advent, recorded in Luke’s gospel, as Mary, Zechariah, Simeon and the angels proclaimed good news of great joy at the coming of Christ. A music highlight may well be the funkiest version of ‘Go tell it on the mountain’ that HBC has ever experienced!?
We enjoyed some very special services during December too. The Sele Christmas Celebration was a lively affair, with a strong mix of adults and children of all ages…even a visit from Father Christmas – who looked and sounded remarkably familiar! Our children and young people who had managed to battle through heavy snow provided a brilliant Nativity Service at HBC on the following Sunday, with a great play, stellar worship leading and ministry in spite of some last-minute stand-ins for snow-stuck travellers.
Our tw
o Carols by Candlelight services welcomed a good crowd into a wondrous atmosphere created by some amazing lighting. The family centred service at 4pm was just lacking an ‘it’s behind you!’ as the message turned full interactive – cracking fun! We were pleased to welcome again a signing choir who presented ‘Joy to the World’! The later service featured more favourite carols, and a ‘Little Drummer Boy’ duet by the young Colligans. Both services featured a well-received invitation to Alpha which started mid-January.
Getting towards the Big Day itself, we had a message-packed game of Pass the Parcel in our Family Crib Service, with plenty of dancing and singing. Andrew was even joined ‘on stage’ by some burly blokes dancing hoola to ‘It was on a Starry Night’ – the footage is too disturbing for viewing! And then, as we arrived at Christmas morning, families, visitors and regulars gathered over two morning services to worship the Lord together.
We give thanks to God for the opportunity to share the gospel message in creative ways to so many people this Christmas and for all the ways he will use that seed to produce hope, joy and peace in their lives through the love of Christ. A huge thanks to all the preachers, communicators, musicians, play directors, tea-makers, mince-pie-heaters and technicians who made it all happen.
And do you know the other good news? We get to do it all again in just a few months time…!