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on OASIS Advent Carol Service - 1 December
Well,
a "first" for OASIS: an open-air act of worship!
The
weather held up, despite what was forecast. But would 10
or 20 turn up at 5.30p.m. on a chilly damp December evening?
(Was this a "cool" event, or what?!) We rashly
printed 40 orders of service ….and more than 60 folk
including two children and a couple of retired people turned
up!
Rev
Tom Cuthell, Minister of St Cuthbert's, led us through a
short service of carols, a reading from Isaiah 40 1-11,
a poem (John Betjeman's Advent 1955) and prayers. His address
was arresting: we don't have to be swept along in
the consumerist tide; we really can mark "the reason
for the season"; and we can, quoting an amusing punchline
of a joke, "pick up the baby!" . We really can
celebrate the greatest Present ever given.
Stephen
Doughty, Director of Music at St John's, had practised our
three carols with a small group of singers - to act as a
core for our praise. He perhaps needn't have worried, for
this group of 60+ was in fine voice. And Festival Square
was treated to dulcet strains of "Hark the glad sound",
"Tell out, my soul" and "In the bleak mid-winter"
(admittedly with sirens going off up and down Lothian Road
too - but this was apposite, for we wanted to come before
God right at the heart of our city of Edinburgh of a busy
weekday early evening).
The
Sheraton did us proud - acting as our "insurance policy"
in case there was a deluge. The Lyceum lent us venerable
lanterns; IKEA provided us with spanking new red and gold
ones; and Citigroup treated us to mince pies and mulled
wine at 6p.m. Our thanks to all these, but also especially
to those who made it to the occasion.
Feedback
afterwards:
From
an investment adviser:
"Thank
you for organising what was the great service in Festival
Square. Tom Cuthell's address was very thought provoking.
And it was nice to be able to pause and think ahead to Christmas,
and to what it really means."
From
a senior banker:
"Let's
fill the square next year!"
See
you there next year!
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