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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' |W»£*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