Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 4C
A merry, joyous and Messed Christmas to all
Submitted by The Rev’d
Canon John Buchanan
Rector, St Christopher’s
Episcopal Church
We do not really know the
date of the birth of Jesus, but
the Church was celebrating the
Twelve Days of Christmas
Twelve Days of Christmas -
Do you know what it means?
Have you ever wondered
The Twelve Days of
Christmas? What in the world
do leaping lords, French hens,
swimming swans, and especially
the partridge who won’t come
out of the pear tree have to do
with Christmas? Well, I finally
found out.
From 1558 until 1829, Roman
Catholics in England were not
permitted to practice their faith
openly. Someone during that
era wrote this carol as a cate
chism song for young Catholics.
It has two levels of meaning:
the surface meaning plus a hid
den meaning known only to
members of their church. Each
element in the carol has a code
word for a religious reality,
which the children could
remember.
The partridge in a pear tree
was Jesus Christ.
Mary Perdue reads to children
MMiMgmMlSBm!; JlHr’ .1 „<i*;
fit < ... *
»w [BMBpWiga^
$ It ■■ - :
tV| "1
Jj£ iPJ Xr
jjgiMkfe- - '» Ili 1i JllMllflP ll IIW I I IHMIiIJ
- mMmmt. mm, fWmwKm JMsp§g
iO» jfc % - k i 9amJMmss*''£ <JB
v4jß
| - ■.. .-^iHfc-.’-^jMWßs^^ l ■ f: 1 ,v_jjw v ? v’^wiV^r
i -I' |Wȣ*f ir
1 inirm T jWIIM|BMMMMHW£. y ;^y
Serving Houston County
Perry • Warner Robins
Member FDIC
cbst
Bank of Middle Geoigia
Quality Inn
1-75 at U.S. 341 • Perry
987-1345
Charles “Chick” Evans
Vice President & General Manager
Nativity of Christ on December
25th by 336 AD .The date was
probably chosen to oppose the
pagan holiday celebrating the
birth of the Sun God. By the
sixth century Christmas had
supplanted the Epiphany
(January 6th) as the more
Two turtledoves were the Old
and New Testaments.
Three French hens stood for
faith, hope and
love. $ *v*)«
t h
f o U gfcjpC*'
n g
birds were
the four gospels of Matthew,
Mark, Luke & John.
The five golden rings recalled
the Torah or Law, the first five
■elf
We may not all believe exactly the same thing, but the people of Methodist Church
believe in God and each other, if you're searching for something to behove in, our Hearts, our minds
and our doors are always open. j
Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.
The people of The United Methodist Church'*
Parry United Methodist Church
1002 Carroll Street 478/987-18S2
www.porryumc.com
Religion
important winter feast of the
Church. Some of the customs of
St. Nicholas Day, December 6th
such as gift giving were merged
into Christmas celebrations
over the centuries, and indeed
we have St. Nicholas as Santa
Claus today.
books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying stood
for the six days of creation.
Seven swans a-swimming rep
resented the sevenfold gifts of
the Holy Spirit: Prophesy,
Serving, Teaching, Exhortation,
Contribution, Leadership, and
Mercy.
The eight maids a-milking
were the eight beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing were the
nine fruits of the Holy Spirit:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience,
Kindness, Goodness,
Faithfulness, Gentleness and
Self Control.
The ten lords a-leaping were
the Ten Commandments.
The eleven pipers piping
stood for the eleven faithful dis
ciples.
The twelve drummers drum
ming symbolized the twelve
points of belief in The Apostles’
Creed.
Photos by Judy Hall
Tucker Elementary School
Principal Kim Halstead pre
sented First Lady Mary
Perdue with tee shirts and
pins from Tucker. Perdue vis
ited the school last Thursday
and read to the children.
(Below) Georgia First Lady
Mary Perdue reads to a
Kindergarten class at Perry
Primary School. She is ready
her new copy of the book,
Mrs. Twiggley’s Tree.
The Puritans, early Baptists,
Presbyterians, Methodists, and
others who had separated from
the Church of England were not
given to feasting and other cele
brations and were opposed to
Christmas observations.
Christmas, as we know it
today owes much to 19th centu
ry England. Queen Victoria’s
husband Albert of Saxe Coburg
imported some German cus
toms (e.g. Christmas trees) and
the novelist Charles Dickens
greatly influenced the English
Victorian Christmas. We in the
U.S. happily imported the
Victorian Christmas. Clement
Clarke Moore, a priest of the
Episcopal Church, contributed
Cr The Birth of Our^ f^>
Savior
St. Christopher’s-at-the-Crossroads
Episcopal Church
1207 Macon Road Perry, GA
The Traditional Christmas Eve
Midnight Mass
Tuesday, December 24,2002
Carol Sing 11:15 - Mass 11:30 pm
J 1-75
Arnold's Auto Service
1202 Main St.
Perry, Ga. 31069
Complete Car Maintenance
Pick-up & Delivery "Road Service
. .JMHI" \
TTh
Call Thomas Call Chris
987-9439
his bit in 1823 with the poem, “
A Visit from St. Nicholas”, com
monly called by its first line,
“Twas the Night Before
Christmas.”
Of course, given to excess as
we Americans are, we have com
mercialized the season out of all
reason and the birth of Jesus of
Nazareth has been buried in
elves, bells, trees, toys, and all
the rest. I believe that it is
senseless to oppose all this, it is
better to rejoice that never has a
birthday been so celebrated,
and the fact that many of the
celebrants have no notion of the
reason behind the hoopla does
not alter the fact that it is His
birth behind and under it all.
the
HP BANK
OF PERRY
Please worship at the
church of your choice
1006 Main St. • Perry
987-2552
Member FDIC
First Penyrz^
Bringing Hope to the Crossroads
j
Life Changing Bible Study
Celebrative Worship
Family Ministry:
Student Ministry. Children’s Choirs. AWANA,
School of the Arte
Women's Ministry. Discipleship Classes
Morning Worship at 8:30 am & 11:00 am
Evening Worship 7:00 pm
Bible Study 9:45 am
Live Broadcast at 11:00 am on 90.9
WCOP FM Radio
1105 Main Street in Perry, GA
Phone: 478-087-2002
Email: mail@fbperry.com
DECEMBER 24,2002
The Star is His, it is the life
that He gives which is symbol
ized in the trees and greenery, it
is He who is the Light of the
World and that fact is behind all
the lights.
So, I say, let us rejoice and be
glad in it and feast, enjoy, and
have a wonderful time knowing
that our Heavenly Father so
loved us that He became flesh
and came among us as the Babe
of Bethlehem to reconcile us to
Himself.
All are invited to come and
celebrate the Holy
Eucharist/Christ Mass at 1207
Macon Road, 11:15 pm on
Christmas Eve.
1812 U.S. 41 N.
Perry, GA
987-1112
@mxs
RoornpßKA