HOW MANY CANDLES ON THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT?

We had a great service at Church with much laughter at the beginning.  Being the Fourth Sunday in Advent there were four candles to be lit - and anyone who lives in the UK - or knows anything about "The Two Ronnies", will no doubt remember their wonderful sketch about four candles.  If you haven’t seen it, do have a look here and I defy anyone NOT to laugh - and after all, God gave us a sense of humour - so enjoy it!

It was good to have some of our young people at Church today - some of them now a little older - either home from work or from university to visit family at Christmas, so I asked if I could their photograph and they graciously agreed. 

I remember when several of them were quite a lot younger, probably of primary school age, and before mobile phones were around, I would often get out my camera and ask if I could take a photograph, but there was always a deal - they could pull funny faces for two or three photographs, provided they also agreed to be “normal” and smile for at least one!  As you will see, today was no exception!  

We closed our service with this benediction and I pray this for all reading my Blip today:

May the Christmas GIFTS remind us 
     of God’s greatest gift, His only Son.
May the Christmas CANDLES remind us 
     of Him who is the "Light of the world."
May the Christmas TREES remind us 
     of another tree upon which he died.
May the Christmas CHEER remind us 
     of Him who said, "Be of good cheer."
May the Christmas FEAST remind us 
     of Him who is "the Bread of Life."
May the Christmas BELLS remind us 
     of the glorious proclamation of His birth.
May the Christmas CAROLS remind us 
     of the son the angels sang, "Glory to God in the Highest!"
May the Christmas SEASON remind us 
     in every way of Jesus Christ our King!

And in the immortal words of Frank in his sermon :

"Without Jesus, what would Christmas be?"