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THE MOD'S BLOG
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The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from May 2009 to May 2010 is the Right Rev William Hewitt.
Here he writes about some of the visits and his reflections during the year. |
Christmas in India
Having left India in temperatures of around 25C, it was a shock to step off the plane to 1C and a snow covered ground. However this seems much more in keeping with the Christmas season, after all we're still dreaming of a white Christmas. During our two weeks with the diocese of Madras we shared in many different Christmas programs in schools in churches in hospitals.
At first it did seem strange to be sitting outside in lovely weather singing Christmas carols and watching the nativity tableau being assembled as the shepherds and the wise men all gathered to see the baby, but very soon it became quite normal. Mind you, seeing a model of the nativity with cotton wool on the roof of the stable representing the snow made we wonder how much Western television has influenced our thinking.
Several of these 'live' nativities will stay in my mind for a long time. In one of the poorest of the villages we shared in an evening event in the local mission hospital. Our arrival was greeted with the local band leading a procession into the hospital grounds. The drive way was lined with people and the trees were ablaze with lights.
All of a sudden the parade came to a halt and our attention was drawn to the roof of one of the out-buildings where a spot lit shone on a little girl dressed as an angel and pointing the way to the stable. Following an illuminated star that was pulled by ropes across the drive we arrived at the stable. The jokes about the wise men were loud and fast.
| Entering the stable there were some older children playing the parts and in the centre was Mary holding the baby Jesus, a baby who had been born in the hospital the previous week. |
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It was a bit of a shock at first but realising that this was not some plastic dolly was really quite moving. The fact of God coming to us as a real person, born as one of us, is sometimes forgotten in the hijacked story of soft sentimentality and extravagant giving. It is very easy to miss the point of Christmas. Jesus has come to be with us, as one of us!
A second memorable event was in a Church-run care home for the elderly. Again a living tableau was presented, this time it was a plastic baby, but the rest of the nativity were residents of the home. Mary a frail elderly lady in her 80s and Joseph a sprightly 78 year old. Again, a most moving scene, particularly when Mary looked lovingly at the baby in her arms and nursed the toy as if it was her grandchild.
The story of Christmas is sometimes relegated to the level of a pantomime story written especially for children. As adults it is very easy for us to dismiss the significance of what God has done for us, for we know the story so well and we can think it has no relevance for us today. Watching with new eyes allows the wonder and the mystery of what God has done for us to come into our lives afresh.
21 December 2009
You can read more about the role
of the Moderator
here and find out about the events and visits he
will be attending in the Moderator's
Diary.
You can read the Moderator's previous blogs on our archive page.
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