ST MARTIN OF TOURS

 

Started out as a Roman soldier

But was baptized as an adult

And then became a monk

It is understood that he was a kind man

Who led a quiet and simple life

The most famous legend of his life,

Was when he was still a soldier,

It is the story about the time

That he cut his cloak in half

To share with a beggar

To protect him during a snowstorm,

Which saved the beggars life

That same night he dreamed that Jesus

Was wearing the half-cloak

Martin heard Jesus say to the angels,

"Here is Martin, the Roman soldier

Who is not baptised; he has clothed me"

CS LEWIS CAME TO GOD

 

CS Lewis came to God

The long way round

But because of this

His faith was sound

 

And he knew the truth,

He called Christ’s birth

The central event

In the history of the earth

A WINTER’S TALE

 

It was in sixteenth century Germany, or so the legend has it, in a town called Wittenberg in Saxony-Anhalt.

That the founder of the protestant church, Martin Luther, was the first to decorate a Christmas tree with lighted candles.

Apparently when he was walking home through the forest one dark and frosty winter’s night, his attention was drawn to the myriad of bright stars that he could see sparkling and twinkling through the branches of the fir trees.

The beauty of the nights display had a great effect on him and he proceeded home very excited.

When he arrived home, he relayed to his family what he had seen and what had excited him so and almost immediately he set about decorating his Christmas tree with candles and then to his families surprise he lit them.

Goodness only knows what his family thought that he was possessed possibly.

And what of the other people in the town what did they think of him and his antics.

It probably caused more consternation than the reformation.

THE FIRST NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through Bethlehem,

Joseph was searching for a room for them

He searched and he searched all-round the town

But nowhere to stay for them could be found

So, they went to a stable and in a bed made of hay

The Christ child was born on the first Christmas Day

SING IN PRAISE

We stand around the Christmas tree

And sing to the Christmas melodies

We thank the lord for what we are

Standing beneath the Christmas star

To celebrate the Christ child's birth

When he came to us to save the earth 

ALL BOWED BEFORE THE NEWBORN

 

All bowed before the new-born

In that stable forlorn

Shepherds and their beasts

And the magi from the east

The noble men of wealth

Concerned about his heath

Gave gifts of myrrh, frankincense and gold

Gifts his tiny hands could not hold

And at the centre of this scene

Slept the young King serene

THEY STOOD IN BREATHLESS WONDER

 

They stood in breathless wonder

At the babe so meek and mild

And with their gifts they knelt

At the feet of the holy child