Advent & Christmas
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Advent & Christmas Services
We have a very busy calendar of events for the period of Advent and Christmas with services and fellowship to suit all ages.
First time or regular attendees, you are all invited and will receive the warmest of welcomes.
1st December
The Church will be open for viewing.
We are excited to display our various Christmas Trees again this year at St Marks, from 1st December right throughout Christmas time.
The trees give a lovely glow to our church and we love how different they all are – some examples from 2022 are in the gallery below.
Saturday 2nd December at 11am – 3pm
We are having afternoon Christmas refreshments in St Marks Parish Hall, why not come along for a bite to eat and meet others in a friendly place.
The Church will again be open for viewing, so you can go over and see the trees, we are sure you will begin to feel the Sprit of Christmas.
Sunday 3rd December at 11.00am
Each year St Marks has a Toy Service on the first Sunday of Advent and this year that will be the 3rd December.
This year will be extra special!
Why? The Bishop of Liverpool, John Perumbalath, will be joining us for the service.
It is not very often The Bishop comes to Scarisbrick, so this will be a truly special service!
Our congregation, school and local community are invited to bring a gift for a child, what ever age they wish, along to the service and then they are distributed throughout the area of West Lancs to those children who would otherwise not have any gift.
(Please Bring them UNWRAPPED, so that they can be given to the appropriate age groups).
Sunday 10th December at 4.00pm
Join with us as we recall the Christmas story and sing our favourite carols by candlelight.
Wednesday 12th December at 10.00am
The children and staff of St Mark’s CE Primary School invite you all to attend this very special performance of their Nativity play in St Mark’s Church.
Wednesday 13th December at 6.30pm
Join us for carols around the fire on the field behind St Marks Parish Hall.
Thursday 21st December at 7.00pm
Are things not so merry or bright for you this Christmas, why not come along to our Longest Night Christmas Service.
A service to have time to reflect and bring your sadness before God, and receive hope of the coming light.
Sunday 24th December at 4.00pm
It’s Christmas Eve and getting us all in the mood while supporting a worthy cause of Christingle which helps children throughout the country.
A very happy, joyous service for young and those born earlier who are young at heart, as we share out our Christingles.
Why not wear your Christmas Jumper or are you brave enough to come as you favourite Nativity Character.
For more information on the good causes, and to make a donation please visit:
St Marks Church, Scarisbrick | The Children’s Society (childrenssociety.org.uk)
Sunday 24th December at 11.30pm
Late on Christmas Eve our midnight service of Holy Communion, where we celebrate the coming of our Saviour, our Lord Jesus, on Christmas morning while most of our village sleeps.
This is a special service held late on Christmas Eve, and as such is the first communion service of the Christmas season. By having a service at this time we are sharing in the anticipation of the joy of Christmas and celebrating its message of good news by stepping outside our usual tradition of daytime services. The service normally contains carols, a short talk, and the sharing of bread and wine in an act of Holy Communion.
Monday 25th December at 10.00am
Christmas Day at St Mark’s Church, join us in celebration and why not bring one of your presents to show!
What is Advent?
Advent is a word that means “coming” or “arrival”. It is a special time of the year for Christians, who celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world to save people from their sins.
Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. During this period, Christians often light candles, read scriptures, pray, sing hymns, and do acts of charity and service.
Some Christians also use an Advent calendar, which has 24 doors or windows that open to reveal a picture, a chocolate, or a small gift for each day of December until Christmas.
The word Advent comes from Latin adventus, which means “coming” or “arrival”. It is a translation of the Greek word Parousia, which is used in the New Testament to refer to the second coming of Christ.
The first recorded use of Advent as a term for the season before Christmas was in the 6th century.
What is Christmas?
The story of Christmas is based on the biblical accounts of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, as recorded in the gospels of Matthew and Luke.
According to these accounts, Jesus was born to a virgin named Mary, who was engaged to a carpenter named Joseph.
They had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register for a census ordered by the Roman emperor Augustus.
When they arrived, they could not find a room at the inn, so they stayed in a stable where Mary gave birth to Jesus and laid him in a manger.
Angels announced the birth of Jesus to some shepherds nearby, who came to worship him. Later, some wise men from the East followed a star to Bethlehem and brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus.
The celebration of Christmas involves various customs and traditions that have a mix of Christian and secular origins. Some of these include:
- Decorating homes and public places with lights, candles, wreaths, mistletoe, holly, and evergreen trees. The use of evergreen trees as a symbol of life and hope dates back to ancient times. The custom of decorating a Christmas tree with ornaments and lights was popularized by Germany in the 16th century.
- Exchanging gifts with family and friends as a way of expressing love and gratitude. The practice of giving gifts at Christmas is inspired by the gifts that the wise men brought to Jesus, as well as by the gift of God giving his Son to the world.
- Singing carols, which are songs that tell the story of Christmas or express joy and praise for God. Carols originated in medieval Europe as folk songs that were sung during festivals and celebrations. Some of the oldest and most famous carols are “Silent Night”, “O Come All Ye Faithful”, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”, and “Joy to the World”.
- Attending church services that commemorate the birth of Jesus and celebrate his presence among us.
- Sharing meals with family and friends that feature traditional foods, such as turkey, ham, roast beef, mince pies, fruitcake, pudding, eggnog, and mulled wine. The types and varieties of foods vary depending on the culture and region.
Christmas is a season of hope, joy, peace, and love.
It reminds us of God’s promises and his faithfulness.
It also challenges us to live in anticipation and readiness for Christ’s return. Christmas is a time to celebrate God’s love for us in sending his Son to be our Saviour and Lord.