Advent Conspiracy

Part 1

Spend less money

Holy Trinity Church, Huddersfield, Sunday 2nd December 2018

Come, Lord Jesus,
Come, Lord Jesus,
Come, Lord Jesus,
Everlasting God come down

The last words of the last hymn at the first service were the first thing to come to my attention at church. I had not turned up for that service but was involved in the later one as a musician, not only in my regular position as a percussionist but also as a mandolinist on two quieter songs. To get time to set up, tune and check sound levels I have to be ready to move as soon as the first service ends.

‘Come, Lord Jesus, Everlasting God come down, were the words that came out of the calm before the work of church musician started. It doesn’t get much better than this.

After the service comments were good. Adults liked the mandolin playing and youth liked that there was cowbell used in one song. Another comment was, “I saw you drop that drumstick.’ True I did, but I kept playing with the wrong hand whilst I picked it up without dropping a beat.

After the service was something that has become a custom here at Holy Trinity, our Advent Hunger Lunch. We eat together a meal of soup and rolls, donating what we would have spent on Sunday roast to the charity Tear Fund.

The service itself: The intercessions had the response “Come, Lord Jesus,” I do not think these things happen by accident.

The sermon was on how the rush and expense of Christmas can hide the meaning of God becoming human in poverty, being wrapped in cloth strips and laid in a manger, Baby clothes and a cot not being available. Yet we celebrate the poverty of the incarnation by eating and drinking to excess and spending beyond our means. Alterntives to this were offered.

But what remains in my mind at the end of the day are the words sung at the end of the first service:

Come, Lord Jesus,
Come, Lord Jesus,
Come, Lord Jesus,
Everlasting God come down