Hillside Parishes Magazine

December 2002 - Christmas Messages

When I worked at a Remand Home in Kidlington, Oxford, on placement from theological college, the only time locking up had any deterrent force on the young offenders was at Christmas. They were deprived of their family ties and festivities. Otherwise they all went home fitter, heavier, better fed and wiser.

When I worked for the Missions to Seamen in Rotterdam after leaving the Army, Christmas was a time when seamen more pointedly used the clubs run by the various seamen’s missions. Indeed, we even celebrated a Latin Mass, amongst the group, for the benefit of Philippine crews who had no European languages. The Church’s various mission arms enfolded all sorts into a wide family. Sometimes the unexpected happened - as when the Anglican Chaplain at Midnight Mass cuffed one Indian seaman round the ear at the communion rail. He had thought that, having grabbed his hand after being given the bread and then bearing his teeth, the fellow was going to bite him!

Christopher Lee in his book “8 Bells and Topmasts” writes in his diary as an apprentice newly aboard the last of the tramp steamers: “It would have been nice to get a few cards. Couple of people got messages. No one said what they were. I suppose it’s private. Missing you and all that stuff. I was lying in my bunk this morning thinking about home. I’m not sure what I see now. We’ve been away for more than 8% of my life. I’ve had 5 letters. I suppose it’s my fault. I’ve more or less stopped writing. Once a post and that’s it. There isn’t much to say. I suppose it’s because I don’t much belong there anymore.” (Christmas 1958)

When I was a bit younger than the apprentice - we lived in Germany at the same time as he was keeping his diary - it was the days of National Service. As a result we usually had a couple of subalterns to lunch, and the orderly officer. In the kitchen, if the batman was on leave, there were plenty of volunteers to substitute for him over Christmas. (Ours used to take me to the cinema for 3d.!) One Christmas was very dry as all the inmates of the Officer’s Mess had to have stomach injections against rabies, after a terrier caught it.

Such stories and reminiscences illustrate that, at Christmas, often there is loneliness on the one hand and interesting opportunities for an unexpected guest on the other - with circumstances adding to the occasion. It is hardly surprising that we identify with the newborn child, laid in the manger, like many refugee children still are. He’s the one to take in over Christmas and nurture for the rest of the year.

Yet even behind the nativity there is a wider story. A young couple, the girl expecting, sent off for a census back to his family roots. No prior bookings possible and the babe imminent or even premature after a donkey ride. A stable suffices. (Even today babies have been born in taxis, minis, supermarket car parks or whatever.) Yet the father was a skilled and no doubt well-paid man with good family links: carpenter can also be translated as architect or town-planner. And if you read on they seem to have more children too (Matthew 13). Shepherds visited - such was the grapevine through the stables. Wise men appeared - but maybe up to a year/18 month later, by which time the family had a house. This according to the Gospel account and Herod’s calculations that any child under 2 was a threat. The child survived a journey to Egypt and back to Galilee. Perhaps Joseph’s pedigree was a threat to the Herodian dynasty. The child, however, survived all these unusual happenings, and even Death, years later, to be with us today but in a different dimension ………………..

Do take this child to your hearts and give him the room to grow there for the rest of the year. You may even identify him in other people!

LIGHT AT LEAKE: 30th October - at this meeting we considered John 1, v.1-14 and the seven references and their implications in the first 9 verses. This reflected Genesis 1, but also other passages throughout the Bible that enlighten us, especially those in John’s 1st Epistle. Discussion conjtinues on how Christ enlightens us in our lives and in many various situsations. 

Next meeting: 20th November, 8 p.m. Vicarage. T. Hoare

New Appointment. The Rev. Alan Dodd has been appointed acting Rural Dean for 1 year whilst senior staff evaluate the future of the Deanery etc.

 New Postcards of Nether Silton (i) picture of Nativity - should be available for Christmas (ii) picture of Scaife Memorial Window (a reprint of Over Silton with bluebells) 20p. each available at Leake church etc.

The magazine of the parishes of Boltby, Borrowby, Cowesby, Felixkirk, Kepwick, Kirby Knowle, Knayton, Leake & "The Siltons". Also circulated in Upsall, Thirlby & Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe.
The Vicar in charge is Rev.Toddy Hoare,
The Vicarage, Moor Road, Knayton, THIRSK, YO7 4AZ Tel: 01845 537277
Contributions always welcome, deadline 2nd Monday in the month
Editor Curtiss Cottage, South Kilvington, Thirsk 01845 522739