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Dear Friends,
(a) This is a fair way ahead (and then we are a forward
looking team) — but our Christmas services will look like this:
Dec 11 (Sat) — Carols on the Hill — 6pm —(BBQ
from 5pm) — Leader SF
Dec 19 (Sun) — Carols in Church — 6pm — Leader
SM Preacher RJ Music PS
Dec 24 (Fri) — Christmas Eve — 11pm — Leader RJ
Preacher SF Music RL
Dec 25 (Sat) — Christmas Day — 8am / 10am — Leaders
LS/PF Preacher SM Music PS
Dec 26 (Sun) — Boxing Day — 6pm only — Leader JP
Preacher PF Music RL
Philip S— will organise the choir for just the Carols Service
and Rob L— will organise 2–3 items for the Christmas Eve
service. We are hoping to include:
* A theme for the whole “Christmas at St Thomas’”
series — something like ‘Enter’ (since He entered
our world it is time to enter His Kingdom).
* A takeaway provision such as our own Christmas tract and invitation
to a Christianity Explained mini-course in January.
(b) I thought you might appreciate C.S.Lewis’ comments
on music and — though he calls himself “musically illiterate”
— his warnings are very real:
“Every natural thing which is not in itself sinful can become
the servant of the spiritual life but none is automatically so.
When it is not, it becomes either just trivial (as music is to
millions of people) or a dangerous idol. The emotional effect
of music may be not only a distraction (to some people at some
times) but a delusion, that is feeling certain emotions in church
they mistake them for religious emotions when they may be wholly
natural. That means that even genuinely religious emotion is only
a servant. No soul is saved by having it or damned by lacking
it. The love we are commanded to have for God and our neighbour
is a state of the will not of the affections (though if they ever
play their part so much the better). So that the test of music
or religion or even visions is always the same — do they
make one more obedient, more God-centred and neighbour-centred
and less self-centred? Though I speak with the tongues of Bach
and Palestrina and have not love, etc.” (C.S. Lewis: Collected
Letters Vol 3, p.731–2)
(c) I must have been to a hundred men’s dinners but
last Monday was perhaps the best I’ve been to for Christian
men. The organising of the whole event by Stewart J— (and food
by Tess), the concept of the fight, the set up (thank you John M—,
John M—, Grant H— and others), the helpful speakers (thank
you Simon P—, Ken C—, Beng Y— and Dominic F—)
was really a powerful combination. Even the women who catered stood
speechless listening! If you missed it come next time!
Yours in fellowship,
Simon Manchester
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