Over the coming weeks there are sorts of special events, including nearly a month of surprises in Kirkby Lonsdale’s Advent Calendar.
Lots of Carol Services will happen around the parish in the coming weeks – you might think of these services as invitations to ‘Journey to Bethlehem’. You will find full details in ‘Around Kirkby Lonsdale’.
Journeys were a feature of the first Christmas:
Mary and Joseph travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to get registered; shepherds journeyed to Bethlehem to find the baby, who was lying in a manger; wise men travelled a great distance to see the new born king.
An attractive feature of this parish is the way that the special events and services that celebrate Christmas are community occasions. A Community Candlelight Carol Service is, just as the name suggests, an occasion when a community gathers, journeys to Bethlehem’ and celebrates Christmas together.
Look out for the special ‘Journey to Christmas’ artwork. It has been newly created this year along with a booklet of carols. The added bonus is that the carol booklet isn’t just something to sing from, it is something to take away as well: A reminder that in a sometimes uncertain world, Christmas is all about journeying in hope.