December 2015
Dear Friends,
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing choirs, sing, sing, sing!
When he comes,
When he comes,
Who will make him welcome?*
Wentworth doesn’t need any lessons in welcoming. Chris and I have been on the receiving end, so we know. Bells, singing, lavish and friendly hospitality to visitors from some of our former parishes and – as if that wasn’t enough – a pie and pea supper! Thank you all so much. We have greatly appreciated your kindness.
It’s quite a season for welcomes. Advent Sunday is the first day of a new Christian year, and the re-telling of ‘the old, old story of Jesus and his love’ begins once again. We hear it in the Bible passages appointed to be read in church Sunday by Sunday, so I hope you’ll welcome the list included in this and future editions of the magazine. We’re far more likely to ‘inwardly digest’ the scriptures if we can both prepare ourselves to hear them and also refer back to them. And if for any reason we can’t come church – or if a special service prevents their being read there on a Sunday - we’ll be able to maintain the continuity for ourselves.
All this is particularly true of the readings used at the 9.30 and 10.45 services. They follow an interdenominational and international scheme whereby a different gospel is featured each year. So let’s join millions of Christians throughout the world - Roman Catholic and Free Church as well as Anglican - in welcoming the Year of Luke.
But the biggest welcome of all must, of course, be reserved for the one about whom Luke’s gospel was written.
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing choirs, sing, sing, sing!
Jesus comes,
Jesus comes,
We will make him welcome!
From what I’ve experienced so far of Wentworth I’ve no doubt that we will.
Michael
* F. Pratt Green 1903-2000