Cows and goats were grazing outside our gate as we left to go to the Cathedral Carol Service on Sunday in afternoon temperatures of 30 degrees C. Further along the track several chickens and cocks, blissfully unaware of the fate shortly awaiting them, squawked and scattered as we drove past.
Over the few weeks running up to the service Anne and I had been teaching the cathedral choir some carols including Come and join the celebration, This Child and The Candle Song - old to us, but new to most of them. We would arrive at choir practices on Wednesday evening feeling hot and jaded after a day’s work, but the choir’s enthusiasm and delight at being together, singing and worshipping (yes worshipping, even in a choir practice), would revive us and help us go home smiling. It’s true that each week we appeared to have a different group of singers and the improvised harmonies were constantly in a state of flux, but this added to the sense of excitement and fun. In the UK it would have driven me to distraction.
In previous years the Carol Service had consisted of a form of Morning Prayer, several hymns (not necessarily carols) and a long sermon. This had not proved to be very popular. This year they wanted something a bit different – more ‘Christmassy’. Having accumulated many Christmas resources over the years in the UK, the Cathedral team and I devised a service based on the theme of Light. Not very original, you might think, but a particularly powerful image in Uganda. The contrast between day and night can be very dramatic – especially when the local generator is out of commission. Unfortunately because the service was at 2.00 in the afternoon the use of candles (my liturgical delight at home) was not really an option.
The service began in a low gear. It started about 25 minutes late (not bad) with only 30 people in the congregation (not good). The member of the cathedral clergy who led the first part of the service was clearly unprepared, got a little confused and missed bits out whilst the second reader didn’t even appear. But as time went on, the pace improved. More people arrived, the choir was animated as usual, and everything we had planned went well. Even the things we hadn’t planned went well – like the young woman who came forward to perform a memory ‘verse’ of Luke 2.1-20. Sadly her memory wasn’t too good on the occasion – but since we had already heard the reading that didn’t really matter and everyone applauded her enthusiastically as she returned to her place, totally unembarrassed.
But most unexpected was the Lugbara Nativity Play complete with a broad bosomed Joseph (the cast was entirely female). I was informed that the cast was waiting outside the cathedral to make their entrance in the middle of the service. Where would I like them to go? (In the service, that is!). A rapid decision was made and they made their appearance complete with their live (and remarkably Palestinian-looking) sheep and some very scary angels.
At the end of the service there were between 250-300 people in the service. In a building designed for over 800 it didn’t look that many, but as the Diocesan Secretary said to us afterwards, “When people hear what they missed this year, next year the cathedral will be full.”
As we have read through the Christmas story in the Bible again this year, we have been impressed by the constant sense of surprise, amazement and joy experienced by those touched by these amazing events: Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, Simeon and even the angels. This year we too have had the privilege of experiencing these things as we’ve travelled through the period of Advent leading up to Christmas. In the UK we often want every ‘i’ dotted and every ‘t’ crossed in our preparations for Christmas. But here spontaneity and unpredictability creates a sense of immediacy we sometimes miss at home. And no one was rehearsed for the first Christmas!
Listening to what we can of the BBC News from here, the West seems to be overshadowed by the prospect of impending financial doom, uncertainty and powerlessness. All this will, doubtless, spill over into the New Year. Probably the best our government can do to try to alleviate this gloom will be to promote the Olympic Games and celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Both are good reasons to celebrate and will help the ‘feel-good’ factor but sadly they cannot last.
In stark contrast, at Christmas Christians celebrate the Light which came into the world 2,000 years ago and which the darkness has never snuffed out. Jesus said “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. As we step out into the unknown territory which is 2012 with all its uncertainty and surprises awaiting us, may God help us to live by that light, and in the security that Christ alone can offer.
Anne and I wish you all very happy New Year.