I suppose the first intimation that Christmas was about to hit with the force of a tornado was when I commenced Nativity Play Practices at one of the local Primary Schools on Tuesday 29th September! Monday 12th, Tuesday 13th, Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th were the dates of the performances, and as the school hall will hold around 150 - 200, we must have played to approximately 700 people over the four performances! There were no major hitches and the children were word perfect. The high point had to be the two children who sang "Away in a Manger" - not a dry eye in the hall!
The evening of Tuesday 6th December found me in St Georges Hall in Bradford, suitably garbed in cloak & gown, and seated at the organ on stage to play for the graduation ceremony for the Bradford College Students. Looking out from the stage to a full hall is quite an awe inspiring sight! Thirty minutes of organ music before the Academic Procession, a three minute fanfare/March and we were underway.
Sunday 11th December at 4.00 pm found me conducting my Male Voice Choir at a Festival of Lights Service (which is held annually) at the Sue Ryder Home in Oxenhope. This is a service at which all those who have died there in the previous year are remembered and candles are in their memory. We were accompanied by the Salvation Army Brass Band, and singing to a brass band was a new experience for the choir.
Saturday 17th December at 10.00 found the church choir and members of Bingley All Saints congregation singing carols in Bingley Market Square. This took place beside a "live crib scene" where anyone who wanted to could dress up as one of the nativity characters.
The following day (Sunday 18th) was the annual Service of Lessons and Carols, and the church choir excelled themselves, singing descants to Once in Royal David's City and O Come all ye Faithful, as well as a choir carol "Is the Little King Sleeping?"
The crib in church
The new Christmas Tree
Thursday 22nd December was the date of the family get together, when Karen, David, Alexander and Brigitte (from Australia) along with David's sister Jane, Andy and their daughter Becky and Granny Anne joined the Bentley clan for a meal at a local Chef & Brewer. It was a double celebration as it was also my birthday!
Saturday 24th at 6.00 pm was the Christingle and Nativity Play in Church. This event is always a "sell out" and the church is packed to the rafters! The memorable event at this service was a little child dressed as a lamb wandering down the centre aisle about two minutes after all the shepherds had arrived!
The Midnight Mass had the Bishop as the celebrant and preacher, and the highlight for many must have been his sermon introduction which told how the fairy came to be stuck at the top of the Christmas Tree!
This was followed by the Christmas Day Eucharist at 10.30 am - and the opening carol just had to be "Christians Awake!"
For the very first time Dot and I had not purchased a turkey for Christmas due to the fact that we were invited to Hannah & Ben's for the Christmas Lunch, and what a splendid spread it turned out to be!
The rest of the family joined us for the afternoon and early evening.
Boxing Day was the Bentley Boxing Day Party, when all the family descended on us as well as Dot's god daughter Hannah, her husband Dave and their two boys.
It was with great relief that we set off on Wednesday 28th. for a two night stay at the King's Head in Masham. Unfortunately Dot managed to start with shingles, so the trip turned out to be a tour of the local doctors surgeries, dispensing chemists and outpatients departments!
Doctor's surgery and chemists shop Masham
After the excitement and chaos of that little lot it can only be calmer and more peaceful in 2012.... can't it?
No comments:
Post a Comment