Nativity Preparation
We are now approaching the Feast of Nativity, Christmas.  Let us do so with the Christian approach.  For us Christmas is primarily about the celebration of the Incarnation.  God sent His Eternal Son, the second member of the Holy Trinity, to become a human child.  He was to grow up in a human family, with all the joys and trials which are involved, obedient to his mother, Mary.  He was taught by Joseph how to make things in wood as a carpenter.  He was to live a full life in our world not simply as an alien visitor but as one of us.  Without this, we could never have been able to be as close to our Creator as we are.  He would have remained always distant and unknown, a giver of rules, the Creator of all, the great mystery. Because He lived with us, we could also learn the fact that Love is His way of relating with us.

However, all around us is the modern culture of Christmas.  We are constantly told that we celebrate it by spending our money to excess on gifts for others, exotic food for us, the finest wines and spirits.  We can go out to shows and celebrations.  We can see special shows on the TV.  We can Celebrate!  Exactly what we are supposed to celebrate is obscure.  It may be called “Our festive season” or perhaps “Xmas”.  It may be a good time spent with our immediate family.  The Nativity, and the implications thereof, are rarely mentioned or noted at all. 

Let us therefore make the effort to turn our lives around, indeed to ‘Repent’ means to ‘turn around.’  Let us do our best to keep the fast.  To keep the fast is also to rejoice in the Feast!, to centre our thoughts and preparation on the Nativity, rather than ‘Xmas’ will prepare us for a deep encounter with the Incarnate God.

On the evening of Christmas Eve, the 24^th December, there will be the service of Vespers at 6.30pm.  This is the best way of freeing us from the culture of “Our festive season”, and lifting our hearts in our Orthodox Faith to see things in their true perspective.  On Christmas Day, at 9.30am, the Liturgy of the Nativity will be held.  Let this be the true start of the genuine festivities for you.

Troparion  of the nativity
“Thy Nativity, O Christ our God,/ has shone to the world as the light of wisdom./ For by it those who worshipped the stars/ were taught by a star to adore Thee,/ the Sun of Righteousness,/ and to know Thee, the Orient from on high./ O Lord, glory to Thee”.

 Kontakion of the nativity
“Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One,/ and the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One./ Angels with Shepherds glorify Him,/ the wise men journey with the star;/ since for our sake the eternal God was born as a little child.”

 
Giving
As a local Community we are responsible for the finance of the needs of the local church and our thanks go to all of you who are giving regularly to for this.  Sadly, several people who have been making their contribution to our needs have now left the area.  They have needed to go to places as far apart as Glasgow, London and, from the end of November, Malaysia, to pursue their careers.

The Archdiocese may well encourage us, but they are unable to raise the money required for the needs here in Leyland.  The Archdiocese itself survives by gifts from some of the more wealthy parishes in this country.

We need to be personally committed to the support of our Community of the Holy Apostles.  Since we were able to move into the former Methodist Church it has often been a miracle for us to pay our way and, for example to receive wonderful unexpected gifts of beautiful icons and money for a new marble altar.

However we continually need regular money for gas, electricity, water, insurance, maintenance, etc.  As a public building we should be aware of, and meet, the legal requirements of safety regulations – for example regular gas and electricity checks, or £100 for ramps for the disabled to enter the church from the hall (final fitting done free).  Also the hall needing to be freshly painted (labour free, materials at least £300) and the hall floor needing repairing, sanding and varnishing (over £2000).

The voluntary work will continue, but we all need to continue with our financial support, and consider the amount which we give.  We need to be at least as generous as we are with other things in our life.  Examples: the cinema costs £6 to £9 per person, football match at least £24.50 and a child £14.50, visit to McDonalds £6.00+ per person for a simple snack.  So, if we all went to church and we paid the same amount as we would have done for the two or four of us in McDonalds, how much would we have given?  Unless we are genuinely poor, we can often afford to be more supportive of the needs of the Church.  Please think about this. And, if you pay tax, you can allow the church to reclaim this at no extra cost to yourself by signing the Gift Aid Declaration.