At the Bradford’s annual city carol service, the Dean of Bradford has said, that after a year of disagreement and with an uncertain future, the Christmas story offers important inspiration and hope.
The Annual carol service for the city took place on Monday 19 December and, along with the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Coun. Geoff Reid, it brought together civic and business leaders from across the city, as well as students and city workers. The service blended traditional and modern Christmas carols with music also rovided by The Band of the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (pictured at a recent annual service - courtesy of Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
In his Address, the Dean, the Very Revd Jerry Lepine, said that in a time of social division Christ draws strangers together - “different people being drawn to the Christ-child - outsiders, strangers, wealthy, poor, manual workers and academics of the time. In his adult life this continues with men and women from all backgrounds being drawn to this vulnerable, poor God. Jesus draws people to himself and as he does so they experience God and God’s social reality because he breaks down barriers between people.”
Read the Dean’s Address at the City carol Service held in Bradford Cathedral here:
City Carol Service 19th December 2016
Does your household ever have an argument about what or who goes on the top of the Christmas tree? Last year I placed an angel on the top of the tree. It looked appropriate and splendid. Our twenty five year old son arrives home and says “what’s that on the top of the tree? Where’s the elf?’ We always have the elf on the top of the tree.” So, despite my theological protestations the elf is restored.
Disagreement has been a major theme of public life this past year with a referendum, the emergence of post-truth politics, the murder of an MP and an American election result creating massive public reactions. I cannot recall such strong feelings being generated and expressed by so many in this country in my lifetime. The future feels somewhat uncertain. So we come to the Christmas season, goodwill to all and peace on earth. I want to offer you three reasons from the story as to why it can inspire us given the place that we find ourselves in today.
First, the story shows all kinds of different people being drawn to the Christ-child - outsiders, strangers, wealthy, poor, manual workers and academics of the time. In his adult life this continues with men and women from all backgrounds being drawn to this vulnerable, poor God. Jesus draws people to himself and as he does so they experience God and God’s social reality because he breaks down barriers between people, creating a new community. People who wouldn’t cross the road to talk to each other find themselves part of the same community. The Christian church has a vocation to continue that today and here at the cathedral, community is at the heart of all we do, but we are also looking to create a sense of community, often in an hour or two such as this evening. One of the highlights of the year for me was the Sacred Poetry evening here as the closing event of Bradford Lit Festival where people from different faith communities came together to share something of their tradition. There was an energy released that night that was more than the sum of the parts – more than just the common good. We were witnessing a world that was worth aspiring for.
Second, the Christmas story tells us that God’s way of doing things is not what we expect. If you wanted to explain God to the world would you chose a homeless family and a baby as the starting point? It invites a leap of imagination. Christians believe that if God is Christ-like then the power at the heart of the universe is humility combined with generous self-giving. Clearly the way to up is down. It is service, not status. If you live that it turns you outwards and it underlines that all those unsung, often unpaid, non reported and therefore hidden acts of mercy that go on all year round are a reflection of the way God wants us to be.
Third, God is in the ordinary. There is not some special spiritual place where God is in splendid isolation. The Jesus story is about the availability of God in the ordinary. That’s why we put the Nativity scene in the State Gate because that’s where the story belongs. Did you see it? What it underlines is that the ordinary turns out not to be ordinary at all – it is holy ground. God is present, respecting you and me and looking to birth his hope in our lives.
So, in a world of deep divisions may the life of God be born in us so that we can reach out to each other generously and come alive to his hope in gift of the ordinary. And just in case you are wondering what’s on the top of the Deanery Christmas tree this year – it’s a star, and I have hidden the elf!
Very Revd Jerry Lepine December 2016