The United Benefice of Fen Drayton with Conington and Lolworth and Swavesey The Fisherman - The Benefice Magazine Issue 17.4 - Christmas 2011 CHRISTMAS begins with  CHRIST It’s so obvious, isn’t it? And yet, it’s so easy to forget:  ‘Christmas’ begins with ‘Christ’.      This year the retailers seem particularly anxious to remind us that the path to a Happy Christmas is to spend, spend, spend.  And you can’t really blame them - because for them it is a matter of survival.  But it’s a far cry from the story that comes at the beginning of Christmas and remains at its heart.       I was reminded of this when St Andrew’s Choir started to rehearse the descants for the traditional Christmas carols the other week and heard the carols tell again the ‘wondrous story’ - the story which, through its very familiarity, brings ‘tidings of comfort and joy’ in troubling times.       It is the story of God who demonstrates his love and his care for our seemingly insignificant world by coming among us as the child born in Bethlehem.  It is the story which places God at the centre of our lives and addresses our ‘hopes and fears’.  It is the story which lies behind the excess of consumption, all the compulsory jollity and any reluctant goodwill and which redeems them all as it bursts through the veneer and reclaims our hearts and lives for the child of Bethlehem, for the Son of God.      Christmas begins with Christ. Christ remains at the heart of Christmas. Christ is to us God’s lasting Christmas gift. The Vicar The Christmas banner made by the children of St Andrew’s, Swavesey, in 2010 Children’s Society News A presentation was made to Dorothy Gilbert at a coffee morning in early October to mark her 25 years as Parish Representative for the Children’s Society.  The presentation was made by Jacqui Fuller who is taking over from Dorothy as Children’s Society representative.      This year’s Christingle Service in aid of the Children’s Society in     St Andrew’s, Swavesey, was held on Sunday 4th December.  The sum of £265 was raised for the Children’s Society.  Our thanks to Jacqui Fuller and her assistants for organising it and to all the contributors.  Especial thanks go to Helen Wielesiuk of the Newsagents in Market Street for generously donating all the oranges for the christingles.     St Andrew’s Choir At the time of writing, the choir has sung at a wedding on 3rd December and are also busy with final rehearsals for Christmas.       We shall visit Conington on 18th December for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in St Mary’s Church at 6.30pm.      After Midnight Mass and Christmas morning services at    St Andrew’s, Swavesey, we round off the season with the Swavesey Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at 6.30pm on the Sunday after Christmas which this year falls on 1st January 2012.      During this service we also look forward to hearing a vocal contribution from a group of junior singers. Keith Lofts Lent Groups 2012 In 2012 Ash Wednesday falls on 22nd February.  The Lent Groups will start on Wednesday 29th February and run for five weeks. Full details of  the course to be followed and the venues of the meetings will be on the Vicarage Website. Fen Drayton Carol Choir If anyone would like to join a small choir to sing a couple of items as is customary in the Fen Drayton Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols  in St Mary’s Church on Christmas Eve, 24th December, at 6.00pm, would they please contact the Vicar (see page 7 for contact details).       There are two further rehearsals planned for this year’s service.  The first will be held at Church End Close, Church Street, Fen Drayton, on  Monday 19th December at 8.00pm and the other will be in church on Saturday 24th December at 10.30am. St Andrew’s Gift Day The Churchwardens and Parochial Church Council of St Andrew’s, Swavesey wish to thank all who contributed so generously to St Andrew’s Gift Day on 26th November.  Your support was much appreciated.