Bus Shelter Nativity

Church ad agency, Churches Advertising Network, is to reveal a commissioned oil painting of the nativity by an internationally acclaimed artist as part of a campaign to promote awareness of the nativity story at Christmas.
The painting, by Royal Academy Gold medal winner, Andrew Gadd, depicts the holy family, with halos, in a fictional bus shelter. The shepherds and wise men are replaced with fellow passengers waiting for a bus. Some are watching the nativity intently; others appear oblivious and are checking the bus timetable or flagging down a bus.

Posters are available for free download from this site http://www.manchester.anglican.org/upload/userfiles/file/pdf/Comms/Key%20events/finalNativity1.pdf

Our Christmas Tree

Christmas is fast approaching and for the first time in years we are organised, we are not building, we are not decorating and we are not fitting a kitchen. This year we will be taking it easy, that is if preparing for 13 people for Christmas dinner is classed as easy. Boxing day I have a special treat instore for everyone..... Trivial Pursuits evening with food and drink, should be a laugh. Rebecca wants a BBQ as well :o) We are putting up the Christmas decorations, hopefully some pictures will be published.

CTiS Advent Service

Advent is a time for reflection, a time of preparation in readiness for Christmas.
Usually I use a series of readings to help me prepare but this year the theme is different. Our recent CTiS (Churches Together in Stretford) Advent service was based on "from darkness to light" , stories from The Boaz Trust (http://boaztrust.org.uk/ Asylum Seekers), Tearfund (http://www.tearfund.org/ Victims of HIV/Aids), Shoebox Appeal and Cafod (http://www.cafod.org.uk/). The service was very thought provoking and it made you want to commit to something more that involved other people. Fill a shoebox, sponsor a child, learn about aids, presents that help people in far off places.
I have tried to encourage others to support something they would not normally do such as volunteer for projects. Several people have come forward to help with brewing up for the residents of Stockdales (http://www.stockdales.org.uk/) when they have their community evening in the hall, the leaders appreciate this as it gives them one less thing to worry about. Raising of awareness of homelessness and the issues we have in Trafford, encouraging people to supply gifts - hats, scarves, gloves, chocolate for the person via our own shoebox appeal, bring toys to the Christingle & Toy Service, these will be distributed by Trafford Social Services to children and encourage others to do the same.
What else can we do?
We can sit here doing nothing and if everybody did nothing where would we be?
We can move out of our warm houses, we can share a meal, we can invite someone round, we can volunteer to help.
Let us all do something we would not normally do, see the benefit to others this Advent.

Reflect on Matthew 25:35-40