• Home

  • Latest Updates

  • Events

  • Y Gymdeithas

  • Statements

  • More . . .

  • Support us

  • Contact us

  • More

    Credo Cymru

    A voice for traditional believers in the Church in Wales
    Forward in Faith Wales

    © 2015 - 2020 by NWCC : Credo Cymru / Forward in Faith, Wales

    DATA PRIVACY NOTICE

    WELCOME ADVENT

     

    Welcome Advent!

    The season to prepare our hearts and minds

    to celebrate and enter more deeply

    into the inner meaning of Christ’s coming.

     

    Welcome Advent!

    The season of hope that looks beyond the horizon

    of our lives,

    to be ready to greet Christ

    when he brings all to completion.

     

    Welcome Advent!

    The time to be set free

    from all that would imprison us,

    and help take the world along the way of Christ.

     

    Welcome Advent!

    The season of light,

    the time to expose the dark corners

    in our own lives and the life of our world,

    to drive out the gloom,

    to embrace the warm healing glow

    of the Lord of Advent.

     

    Welcome Advent!

    The season of the silent presence of God

    When Christ silently dwelt in Mary’s womb.

    When John the Baptist silently leapt for joy.

    When Joseph silently pondered,

    and Mary broke the silence with her song of freedom

    so that all might welcome the Advent of the Lord.

     

    C.S.

    For the Season of Advent

    ADVENT JOY NOW

     

     

    Joy is the golden thread running through the Gospels.

    Elizabeth and Zechariah are filled with the joy of a new-born son.

     

    The young Mary sings a song of joy, rejoicing in God her Saviour.

         Her heart and her voice are aflame with the overshadowing                 presence of the Spirit of God.

     

    John the Baptist kicks out with joy within the womb of Elizabeth.

         Shepherds and kings fall down in joyous adoration.

              Earth and heaven together sing a song to God's glory.

     

    Simeon and Anna no longer need to keep vigil.

         The fulfilled promise of God

               leads to joyful surrender to peace-filled death.

     

    The blind and the lame, the social outcasts,

         all welcome with joy the healing touch and words of Jesus.

         The joy on earth is perfectly reflected in the songs of heaven -

               the joy of heaven over one sinner who repents.

     

    The same joy in God

          is held out for us if only we will hold out our hands.

     

    For the joy of living in the Kingdom begins now

          - not in some idealized future.

    This is the joy that no one can take away:

            the transforming grace of God,

                that changes lives and creates bearers of God's joy

                for our world today. 

     

    C.S.                 

     

    Left: detail from 'The Visitation with SS Nicholas & Anthony' by Piero di Cosimo c. 1490

     

    FINAL BEATITUDES

     

     

    BLESSED are those who keep vigilant

    for the Day of the Lord:

    for they must be ready at all times

    to welcome the appearance of Christ.

     

    BLESSED are those who are invited

    to the marriage supper of the Lamb:

    for they will taste the fruits of the tree of life.

     

    BLESSED are those who have been washed

    in the sacrificial blood of the Lamb:

    for they will be given a new garment

    that will never fade.

     

    BLESSED are the martyrs

    who died faithful to the word of the Lord:

    they will reign with God for ever and ever.

     

    BLESSED are those who die trusting in the Lord:

    for the Spirit says  they will rest from their work on earth

    and their Christ-like deeds will go before them.

     

    C.S.

    Based on Beatitudes from the Book of Revelation

    ADVENT 1955

     

     

    The Advent wind begins to stir
    With sea-like sounds in our Scotch fir,
    It's dark at breakfast, dark at tea,
    And in between we only see
    Clouds hurrying across the sky
    And rain-wet roads the wind blows dry
    And branches bending to the gale
    Against great skies all silver pale
    The world seems travelling into space,
    And travelling at a faster pace
    Than in the leisured summer weather
    When we and it sit out together,
    For now we feel the world spin round
    On some momentous journey bound -
    Journey to what? to whom? to where?
    The Advent bells call out 'Prepare,
    Your world is journeying to the birth
    Of God made Man for us on earth.'

    And how, in fact, do we prepare
    The great day that waits us there -
    For the twenty-fifth day of December,
    The birth of Christ? For some it means
    An interchange of hunting scenes
    On coloured cards, And I remember
    Last year I sent out twenty yards,
    Laid end to end, of Christmas cards
    To people that I scarcely know -
    They'd sent a card to me, and so
    I had to send one back. Oh dear!
    Is this a form of Christmas cheer?
    Or is it, which is less surprising,
    My pride gone in for advertising?
    The only cards that really count
    Are that extremely small amount
    From real friends who keep in touch
    And are not rich but love us much
    Some ways indeed are very odd
    By which we hail the birth of God.

    We raise the price of things in shops,
    We give plain boxes fancy tops
    And lines which traders cannot sell
    Thus parcell'd go extremely well
    We dole out bribes we call a present
    To those to whom we must be pleasant
    For business reasons. Our defence is
    These bribes are charged against expenses
    And bring relief in Income Tax
    Enough of these unworthy cracks!
    'The time draws near the birth of Christ'.
    A present that cannot be priced
    Given two thousand years ago
    Yet if God had not given so
    He still would be a distant stranger
    And not the Baby in the manger.

     

    Sir John Betjeman

    ADVENT JOY NOW

     

     

    Joy is the golden thread running through the Gospels.

    Elizabeth and Zechariah are filled with the joy of a new-born son.

     

    The young Mary sings a song of joy,

         rejoicing in God her Saviour.

          Her heart and her voice are aflame

              with the overshadowing presence of the Spirit of God.

     

    John the Baptist kicks out with joy within the womb of Elizabeth.

    Shepherds and kings fall down in joyous adoration.

    Earth and heaven together sing a song to God's glory.

     

    Simeon and Anna no longer need to keep vigil.

         The fulfilled promise of God

           leads to joyful surrender to peace-filled death.

     

    The blind and the lame, the social outcasts,

    all welcome with joy the healing touch and words of Jesus.

    The joy on earth is perfectly reflected

              in the songs of heaven -

          the joy of heaven over one sinner who repents.

     

    The same joy in God

    is held out for us if only we will hold out our hands.

     

    For the joy of living in the Kingdom

              begins now - not in some idealized future.

    This is the joy that no one can take away:

              the transforming grace of God,

           that changes lives and creates bearers of God's joy

              for our world today.

     

    C.S.

    WELCOME ADVENT

     

     

    Welcome Advent!

    The season to prepare our hearts and minds

    to celebrate and enter more deeply

    into the inner meaning of Christ’s coming.

     

    Welcome Advent!

    The season of hope that looks beyond the horizon

    of our lives,

    to be ready to greet Christ

    when he brings all to completion.

     

    Welcome Advent!

    The time to be set free

    from all that would imprison us,

    and help take the world along the way of Christ.

    Welcome Advent!

    The season of light,

    the time to expose the dark corners

    in our own lives and the life of our world,

    to drive out the gloom,

    to embrace the warm healing glow

    of the Lord of Advent.

     

    Welcome Advent!

    The season of the silent presence of God

    When Christ silently dwelt in Mary’s womb.

    When John the Baptist silently leapt for joy.

    When Joseph silently pondered,

    and Mary broke the silence with her song of freedom

    so that all might welcome the Advent of the Lord.

                                                                                    C.S.