Christmas trees and nativities

Baptists in Bridgwater have been busy with trees and nativity scenes of late. Three trees and a knitted nativity set at church, one of each in the shop window and a final tree in the Methodist Church Christmas Tree Festival.

Our Baptist ancestors might not have approved. The mix of sacred and secular that defines our modern Christmas can be hard to handle for people of faith.

A Toy and Nativity service at the Methodist Church yesterday brought the elements together in a special way. Surrounded by trees, Baptists, Methodists and visitors shared together in a service including a nativity play. Children and adults together told the story of the coming of the Christ Child. Presents were left to be passed on to children in our town for whom this Christmas might otherwise be bleak.

For me, the contradictions and tensions of Christmas melt away like the snow that almost arrived yesterday. The next two weeks will be full of community, caring and sharing as together we celebrate God's gift in Jesus.