I mentioned a few weeks ago my love for the James Herriott books and over the years I have enjoyed reading the books and watching the films and two television series based on his stories.  Alf Wight, the author is reputed to have been a very entertaining story teller, recounting his early experiences as a scottish vet, working the Yorkshire Dales and was encouraged to write his stories down so that others could enjoy them, he is perhaps one of the most famous vets in the world and still much loved today.  I have often been tempted to do likewise and record some of my experiences as a new minister, wet behind the ears, serving an increasing number of churches in semi rural Norfolk. I love the TV series The Vicar of Dibley and maybe people watch it and assume that it is all exagerated, but I can say, hand on heart that I have experienced the zany and sometimes downright eccentric way some people funtion and have a host of wonderful and often funny experiences, much the same as Rev Geraldine Grainger in the series.

One of my Church members at my small village chapel had been trying to encourage me to go Carol singing in his village,  he lived in a neighboring village and was a key character in that community who was known by the locals as their “Rev” he was the Churches presence there. I eventually gave in and submitted a couple of years before I left the area, following six years of invitations.  My directions were quite simple, turn up at the village hall at six thirty, I took my wife along with me and as we pulled into the car park, we were surprised to see a large tractor and trailer decked in fairy lights, we set off with twenty plus people on the trailer. The next four hours were spent travelling from cottage to cottage, blocking the entire lane on some occasions and singing from the trailer, we all piled into some houses and sang to the locals. As the clock worked it’s way up to eleven in the evening, we had to get back home.  We eventually decided to call it a day and the tractor driver took us back to our car, while the rest of the group sang in a cottage  The evening was fuelled by a constant supply of sausage rolls, buns, mince pies and mulled wine the locals finished after midnight!

My only regret about my evening carol singing was that I didn’t respond to the invitation years earlier, we never did it again, because we moved away. This is an unusual year, when many of our landmark experiences during Advent are missing, and I find that suddenly I value them all the more.  I am determined in the future to grab every opportunity I can, these are the memories for our future lives.  I am reminded once again that we have a Gospel message to proclaim only because people long ago spoke out about their experiences. 

This Christmas as the world needs to hear the Christmas story more than ever, on our part, we need to share our experiences.