The Reverend Philip Banks writes:

O come, thou Dayspring

These are the words from the great Advent hymn, “O come, O come, Emmanuel” which will call us at the end of this month to focus on the coming of the light of Christ into our darkened world. The carol is really a prayer – each verse a call to the Messiah to come into our lives, calling him by the various names he is given in scripture and tradition (Dayspring, Key of David, Emmanuel, etc). For this reason, it makes a fitting start for the season of Advent, when we call to our Messiah to come to us and to our world to bring us peace, hope and joy. 

To help us begin to prepare for this shining season, our choir will again lead our candlelit “Darkness to Light” service, symbolising our Christian hope for the light of Christ in our lives and in the world around us. This is on Sunday 22^nd November at 5.15pm. Please do come to this, and do encourage friends and family to join us as we prepare for Advent to start the following week.

The theme of “Light in Darkness” begins, though, at the start of November with the celebrations of All Saints, All Souls and Remembrance. At All Saints we come together to express our thankfulness for those who have set an example of godliness and holiness in the past – those who have indeed been “lights” in their generation. In our All Souls service we thank God for the departed, praying that they may dwell in light with all the saints; and at Remembrance we thank God for those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom and peace.

For our church calendar, the darkness and cold of winter provide a very real but very symbolic backdrop to a season which holds so many celebrations and contrasts. In our words, music, prayers and liturgy, it is a season when we anticipate the warmth and light of Christ coming to a sometimes dark and cold world; a season when we remember too the shining light of the saints – their example to us, and the way in which the saints can inspire and move us to bring the light of Christ to others. As we progress through this season with all its symbolism, may we invite the Holy Spirit to deepen our understanding of God’s light and love for us, and to stir up in us an eager longing to know our saviour in all of his ‘comings’ to us.  May we, with all the saints, be found living "lives of holiness and Godliness, waiting for the coming of the day of the Lord" (2 Peter 3:11). 

The ancient prayer of the church in Advent has always been “Maranatha – Come Lord Jesus, come” (1 Corinthians 16:22 and Revelation 22). The powerful Advent hymn O come, O come Emmanuel, is based on this text which, is also the inspiration for the “Great O” antiphons of the church used since the earliest days. We pray indeed for the coming of Christ’s light in our lives and world.

With best wishes,

Fr Philip Banks

“O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer

our spirits by thine advent here;

disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

and death's dark shadows put to flight.”