Minister’s Musings

Minister’s Musings by Rev. Julie Lombard

Can you believe it’s December? A season of hope and that happens to be our worship theme this month. Whether we are ready or not, here it comes. To get a wee bit more in the mood, I’ve read Jeanette Winterson’s 2016 book titled Christmas Days: Twelve Stories and Feasts for Twelve Days. One summary said this: This book was an absolute joy to read. I enjoyed all twelve stories which ranged from the downright creepy to the fantastical and funny. My intention was to skip the recipes, but they are prefaced by charming thumbnail sketches of the author's friends and family: so I read those as well. Jeanette Winterson writes effortlessly well, is comfortable with any and every genre and conveys successfully what Christmas means to her without laying it on with a trowel. A must for the Season of Goodwill, or any other time of the year. ( ) I have to admit that my favorite part came in the chapter titled: ''My Mulled Wine (or No More Fruit in Main Courses).'' Here the author reminds us that Christmas is a midwinter festival. Winterson continues that for most of human time on earth, the dead of winter has been the hardest time. It’s also the most difficult time psychologically. The Days are short; the weather is harsh. Imagine no electricity, poor roads, the daily toil to keep the fire and cooking stoves going, damp clothes, damp beds, numbing cold, none of that changed until the 20th Century. Imagine the joy of the twelve days of feasting, warmth, relaxation, cheer, contemplation, singing, charity, kindness as some kind of point to life. She adds that faith can protect the mind from depression and despair, not least because of the story Christmas tells of hope and new beginnings, but because communities are essential for mental health. The loneliness that so many people experience this time of year is a consequence of our loss of community, including the community provided by belonging to a church and faith. Thank goodness we don’t have to worry about that, right? We belong to this church and we have each other. She then reminds us that at a time when religious extremism hasn’t been so deadly since the Crusades or the Spanish Inquisition, it’s difficult to think about faith as hope or belief as a kindness to others. She suggests that we need this season of hope because it is a time of giving, these festivals, and the sharing of food and our new kind of virtual fellowship could be a lifesaving act and it might just cheer us up. I’m not sure I’ve changed my mind about being ready or not for December, but I may like to try a few of her recipes. Happy Holidays! Peace, Rev. Julie