Advent Calendar – Day 11 – St George and St John, Newbury

Welcome to Advent…Day 11
These short meditations can be done alone, with a partner, or with the whole family.
My suggestion is evening time; light a candle, play the music suggested below,
Have a little treat, it’s an Advent Calendar, after all!
(Maybe hide some chocolate around the house each day, or hang it from the ceiling?)
And read the material aloud together…
There’s quite a lot here. You dont need to do it all; either follow the story and the blessings, or simply enjoy the poems.
Make it a special moment, ten minutes of togetherness in this busy season.

NHS Angel. *Artwork by St John’s Pre-School*

Music Suggestion

from Spotify

Zecheriah’s tongue is loosed – and he begins to sing!
The Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah, and he began to speak:
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
    he came and set his people free.
He set the power of salvation in the center of our lives,
    and in the very house of David his servant,
Just as he promised long ago
    through the preaching of his holy prophets:
Deliverance from our enemies
    and every hateful hand;
Mercy to our fathers,
    as he remembers to do what he said he’d do,
What he swore to our father Abraham—
    a clean rescue from the enemy camp,
So we can worship him without a care in the world,
    made holy before him as long as we live.
And you, my child, “Prophet of the Highest,”
    will go ahead of the Master to prepare his ways,
Present the offer of salvation to his people,
    the forgiveness of their sins.
Through the heartfelt mercies of our God,
    God’s Sunrise will break in upon us,
Shining on those in the darkness,
    those sitting in the shadow of death,
Then showing us the way, one foot at a time,
    down the path of peace.

Zecheriah’s ‘Benedictus’ is said daily in morning prayers in churches, cathedrals and religious communities.

A Poem – O Sapienta by Malcolm Guite
Excerpt…
I cannot think unless I have been thought,
Nor can I speak unless I have been spoken.
I cannot teach except as I am taught,
Or break the bread except as I am broken.
O Mind behind the mind through which I seek,

… Come, hidden Wisdom, come with all you bring,
Come to me now, disguised as everything.

You can find the full poem here

Reflection and Blessing for you and your loved ones
The Nativity story has a lot of singing in it! People see visions, they sing! They greet each other, the sing! It’s a bit like an ancient musical, you can hear the strings swell and you know a new song is about to start!
Zecheriahs tongue is loosed, he can speak – but chooses to sing!
And he sings a song of hope and possiblity, he sings about a new thing happening… an impossible thing.
What song can we sing in our times?!

God inspire us to see the new, to see possibility, to see green shoots, to take up our part in your future.
May the PEACE that calls to heart with longing be with you too. Amen

The Food Bank

West Berks Foodbank Reverse Advent Calendar
Day 11 – pasta sauce

Advent Calendar – Day 11

St George the Martyr

St John the Evangelist

St Michael & All Angels