WEDNESDAY 21st DECEMBER

                                                                   A Blue Christmas
                                    The shortest day of the year: Twyning, Gloucestershire

God our Father
the angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary
that she was to be the mother of your Son.
Though Mary was afraid,
she responded to your call with joy.
Help us, whom you call to serve you,
to share like her in your great work
of bringing to our world your love and healing.
We ask this through Jesus Christ,
the light who is coming into the world.
Amen



If other commitments prevent you from coming to the service this evening, make a few moments at home or in Open Church to remember those struggling with grief and hopelessness at this deep, dark time of the year.

Bells Across the Snow   by Frances Ridley Havergal

O Christmas, merry Christmas!
Is it really come again,
With its memories and greetings,
With its joy and with its pain?
There's a minor in the carol,
And a shadow in the light,
And a spray of cypress twining
With the holly wreath tonight.
And the hush is never broken
By laughter light and low,
As we listen in the starlight
To the 'bells across the snow'.

O Christmas, merry Christmas!
'Tis not so very long
Since other voices blended
With the carol and the song!
If we could but hear them singing
As they are singing now,
If we could but see the radiance
Of the crown on each dear brow;
There would be no sigh to smother,
No hidden tear to flow,
As we listen in the starlight
To the 'bells across the snow'.

O Christmas, merry Christmas!
This never more can be;
We cannot bring again the days
Of our unshadowed glee.
But Christmas, happy Christmas,
Sweet herald of goodwill,
With holy songs of glory
Brings holy gladness still.
For peace and hope may brighten,
And patient love may glow,
As we listen in the starlight
To the 'bells across the snow'

Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-1879) was a poet and hymn-writer, some of whose work can still be found in our hymn-books today. Perhaps her most famous lyric is 'Take my life and let it be'. Though the words of 'The Bells' are Victorian, the emotions and sensibilities are very recognisable. They are what we will prayerfully bring before God in our Blue Christmas service this evening.



Antiphon:

O Morning Star,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death.