The joy of winter
Dear friends,
Maybe it’s to do with my Scottish roots but I confess, I like winter. Yes of course, as a Christian I like winter because some pretty big and exciting religious things happen: we get to sing wonderful music and it’s all a little bit lovely; but… even when I called myself a non-Christian, I liked winter. And so, dear friends, let’s consider the season in its fullness….
Image © Wendy Burgess
It’s a season with a romance of its own. Even with the ever-present roadworks, a hush wraps around us. Winter is a time of waiting, of hibernation and cold, yet also of deep beauty and wonder.
Thomas Hardy captures this feeling in “The Darkling Thrush”. In it he listens to a thrush sing with “full-hearted evensong of joy illimited”. It’s in winter’s coldness that the song of a solitary bird stirs a glimpse of hope, demonstrating that beauty and grace can appear in the bleakest of times.
As we gather in our homes during the dark months, there’s an intimacy that only winter seems to bring. Winter draws us inward – into our homes, our families, and, sometimes, into ourselves. If we’re not careful it can be isolating and an easy excuse not to go out and engage with village life. But it can also be the impetus we need to look outward and be active.
For Christians, Advent is a season of anticipation. We light candles on an Advent Wreath each Sunday leading up to Christmas, reminding us that darkness is never the end of the story. It’s an invitation for us as Christians to engage with our faith, the community and wider world. Jesus came amongst us during a time of great political trouble and unrest, something familiar that we see around the world today. It’s a time when we invite the community to come together to share the sense of excitement as Christmas approaches. It's a time for Ale House festivities, Village Carols. Nine Lessons & Carols, Carols @ Café Morso, school carol services and nativity plays.
Christmas is a celebration of light breaking into darkness. The humble birth that transformed the world. It’s also close to the winter solstice but that always feels a bit premature – we know it’s mid-winter but it really doesn’t feel it – and yet, in just a few weeks, evenings will get darker that little bit later. The birth of Christ, the mid-point in winter, change is happening.
Image © Wendy Burgess
One of my favourite poets, Robert Frost, in “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” invites us to pause, to take in the silent beauty of “lovely, dark, and deep” woods, holding their own mystery, a gentle promise of peace. He reminds us that we have “promises to keep, and miles to go before [we] sleep”. As we move from Christmas to New Year, it’s time to renew our commitments and draw strength for what lies ahead. We think about our New Year resolutions, perhaps reflecting on those that never materialised before, chastising ourselves but also having some hope in those to come.
Christians celebrate Epiphany on 6th January. This is the time when the Three Kings or Wise Men brought prophetic gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. There are some lovely jokes of the “Three Wiser Women” bringing more useful gifts of nappies, casseroles and wine! Epiphany is traditionally when Christmas decorations are taken down, the twelfth night after Christmas.
And, as winter progresses, we head towards “Blue Monday”, perhaps a self-perpetuating myth about January 20th being the most depressing day of the year. But January is hard for so many people. Pay day seems an awful long way off, Christmas usually results in a substantial over-spend, bills keep coming in, the weather seems to get worse and everyone is waiting for the month to end.
And its at times like these that Colwall can be brilliant. January is a time to be looking out for each other, for noticing who isn’t out and about or doing so well. There are many confidential support services for those who need a bit of help but it takes us all to reach out when we can. Winter is beautiful but cold and bleak stops being romantic very quickly. We all need light and warmth in winter.
I look forward to seeing you throughout the winter. I’ll be the one looking for my gloves….
Andrew