Pilgrim Soldier

Over the last couple of days the Christmas season has really kicked off here in Godalming. The size and age profile of the corps dictates that December is not the extremely busy season that some of my fellow corps leaders experience, but this changed this last weekend.

We kicked off on Sunday with a trip to a children’s care home for children with profound disabilities. The corps have been going there every Christmas for around 40 years and playing carols and giving out small presents. My task is to lead the singing and to get people to choose which carols they want to sing and then to encourage the children to shout for the Father Christmas who comes with us. To say that the place is noisy is an understatement and I was warned that it could be very difficult to cope with seeing children such as those who live there.

Anyway we spent about 30 minutes there and I would say that it has been my favourite moment of the Christmas so far. Seeing the excitement in some of the children’s responses to favourite carols was a joy to behold!

Were we full on evangelistic in our effort? Honestly, I can’t say we were. However, from the two or three conversations I had with the parent’s of the children I know how much they appreciated our efforts. Did we manage to put across something of the meaning of Christmas? I reckon we did! Did we bring some joy into the lives of those who were there? Without doubt!

For me this was about showing that we are around and that we are interested in everyone. It was an opportunity to say that we care! It was about being salt and light.

Then yesterday we went off to a women’s prison to play for their annual carol concert. Whilst the band’s role was to play for the carol’s, it was great to see the ministry that is going on there! One of the volunteers on the chaplaincy team did an unashamedly in your face talk and pointed out that Christmas was a chance to put the past behind and move on into the New Year with a new focus of following God’s true will for your life!

All in all an excellent couple of days! I haven’t touched on our Carol Service yet, but I’ll do that in another post!