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Archiver > GEN-TRIVIA-ENG > 2005-12 > 1133810573


From: "KarenHills" <>
Subject: Re: [TRIVVIES] Advent Breakfast
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2005 19:22:53 -0000
References: <000e01c5f8ea$25fef9f0$0400a8c0@VAISEY>


what a lovely description, thanks Liz.

Karen



>I thought you might be interested to hear about my busy day yesterday, and
>I
> hope that some people will not be offended by what I have written although
> others I know will appreciate it. I just ask that you understand the
> spirit
> in which it is written because its original purpose was for an article in
> our Diocese magazine.
>
>
>
> It all started as a small germ of an idea 14 months ago.
>
>
>
> Yesterday was the second time that our church's Mothers Union held an
> Advent
> Service of Light followed by a "lite" breakfast. Last year we had about
> 45
> people at the service and cooked breakfast for them afterwards, but this
> year ............
>
>
>
> I turned up at Church at 7am and helped unload one of the cars with all
> the
> food and catering goodies required. The tables had been set the night
> before - 7 large tables seating 8 people, one table for the cereals and
> bowls and two more tables with toasters and baskets for the toast. Cups,
> saucers, bowls, plates, cutlery ..... all to be got out along with the tea
> making equipment.
>
>
>
> In the back kitchen 3 of us got the oven and the warming oven going - put
> the plates into warm whilst organising everything to hand. One person had
> cooked the sausages at home and brought them in to go in the warming oven,
> we cooked the bacon and put that in to keep warm, and then we put the
> tomatoes and hash browns into cook.
>
>
>
> Whilst we were doing this others had been preparing the Church and others
> setting out the front eating area .... all systems go ready for our 8.30
> service.
>
>
>
> We walked into Church and the subdued lighting was on augmented by a
> myriad
> of nightlights in little glass holders .... very pretty and full of
> atmosphere. Four large candles were waiting to be lit at the front, one
> for
> each of the weeks in Advent. But look at all these people ..... just how
> many were there ( we afterwards found out there were about 80) and had we
> got enough food?
>
>
>
> The Service was intended to help people focus on Advent a time of waiting.
> Waiting for Christmas when the light of Jesus comes into the world. It
> was
> a time to forget the glitzy present buying; the frantic food shopping; the
> parties and all the commercial hype. So as we entered the Church we were
> given a service booklet, a candle in a holder and a bracelet with four
> star
> shaped beads.
>
>
>
> Each of the four weeks had a different theme and we held a different bead
> on
> the bracelet as the candle was lit. We reflected on the theme for the
> week
> before we said a prayer together. Our four themes were "Thinking about
> preparing ourselves for Christmas", "Thinking about loving our neighbour",
> "Thinking about giving" and "Thinking about taking time to be quiet".
>
>
>
> After a final hymn we each took our lit candles and placed them around the
> empty crib. Jesus is often described as "The Light of the World" but
> that
> he cannot shine unless we all give back to Him the light He has given to
> us;
> our lights must shine in the world.
>
>
>
> It was a lovely service and 60 people joined us for breakfast. Some of
> the
> Mothers Union members did sterling work making sure everyone was seated
> and
> had the offer of cereals and toast; three of us cooked the breakfasts and
> plated the food and others made the tea and served the plates of sausages,
> bacon, hash browns, tomatoes, baked beans and fried eggs.
>
>
>
> The buzz in building was great; people enjoyed the atmosphere be they
> children or more senior. Everyone took something away to reflect on
> during
> Advent - be it the bracelet; the memories of that peaceful, reflective
> candle lit service, perhaps a cooked breakfast they do not normally have
> or
> even the tremendous sense of oneness and communion within our parish.
>
>
>
> But what did we the Mothers Union take away? We took away all of the
> above
> and more. We followed our Branch Leader's vision to take a risk and seen
> that germ of a vision grow. We have helped something very special become
> a
> part of Advent-tide at Holy Trinity, Cuckfield. We hope in some small way
> that our lights have shone out into the world as we will be passing the
> £80
> profit to The Mothers Union Literacy Fund.
>
>
>
>
>
> Well that was only part of the day really; we had only reached 11am!!!
>
>
>
> Liz
>
>
>
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