Las Posadas Day 5. A Donkeybox for the donkey?

 

A night at Mill House and then off to work at The Winterborne Horsebox Company in Stickland, where Joseph was keen to join his old mate George for a few hours to try his carpentry skills at horsebox building.

We thought about how much easier a horsebox would be for a while, but most of them were much too big for us.

 There was, though, one box which was just the right size for us and Donkey got very excited by the prospect of a horsebox (or, more particularly, a donkey box), which he thought would be a jolly good idea.

In fact he took such a shine to it that he sat in it and resolutely refused to budge until it was lunchtime and we managed to lure him out with some carrots.

             MARY  xx

  

Count down

Are you counting the days to Christmas? Have you opened the first windows of your Advent Calendar? The word 'Advent' comes from the Latin 'adventus', which means 'arrival' or 'coming' so in the Church, we are preparing for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. We have no flowers during Advent - only the Advent wreathwith its five candles - the first being lit last Sunday and then one more each Sunday until Christmas Day.

1. The candle of Hope so prayers on this day focus on hope.
2. This candle is a symbol of God's Peace, reminding Christians of the Prophets who said that the Messiah would be born.
3. The candle of Love, represents John the Baptist who baptised Jesus.
4. The candle of Joy reminds Christians of Jesus' mother, Mary.
5. The fifth candle reminds Christians of the birth of Jesus.

 The fifth candle is lit on Christmas Day when we can really celebrate the birth of Christ. There will be services at different times, in all our churches on that day – look out for the posters around the villages. If you haven’t been to our churches before – or would just like to start your Christmas day in a different way; St Mary’s at Winterborne Stickland will be having a Christmas Celebration service that day. It will be without Holy Communion – this will be available just down the road at St Nicholas' Church, Clenston, St Andrew's Houton, St Mary's, Turnworth and St James Milton Abbas. In Winterborne Stickland we will have a family friendly service and let’s hope we raise the roof with our singing and make it a truly joyful start to the day. 

Alan