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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Barker Road Methodist Church
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261225
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20270106
DTSTAMP:20260604T154629
CREATED:20251008T030836Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251008T030949Z
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SUMMARY:Season of Christmas
DESCRIPTION:WHAT IS IT?\nChristmas is one of the two key moments of the Christian calendar (the other being Easter). It is not Jesus’ birthday we celebrate but the significance of his birth: God himself has come to us in Jesus Christ. \nWHY DO WE CELEBRATE IT?\nWe rejoice that God has bridged the chasm between humanity and himself. We remember the events and circumstances around Jesus’ birth (a “nativity”) – a mini Gospel anticipating the suffering\, death\, and\nresurrection of Jesus. \nTHE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS\nLike Easter\, Christmas is such a big part of the story of God that one day alone is not enough to celebrate – hence the twelve days. The length holds no significance other than to lead into Epiphany\, 6 Jan. \nWHAT DO WE DO?\nServices take on a celebratory note. The night before Christmas is often a candlelight vigil. Midway through the season\, on New Year’s Eve\, Methodists gather to renew our baptismal covenant with God. \nWhite is used as a symbol of joy. \nThe Gospel is retold\, with an emphasis on the Nativity. \nChristmas carols are sung throughout the twelve days. \nCHRISTMAS AND PAGANISM\nChristians do not believe that 25 Dec is the actual date of Christ’s birth. Rather\, the date has origins in the pagan observance of the winter solstice. Christians have never been shy to shine the light of\nChrist on cultural practices\, revealing its true significance. Hence\, new meanings have been given to the solstice – there is indeed a renewal of life\, and this comes in the person of Jesus. \nREFERENCES \nAlexander\, J. Neil. Celebrating Liturgical Time: Days\, Weeks\, and Seasons\, 2014.\nLathrop\, Gordon. Holy Things: A Liturgical Theology. Minneapolis\, MN: Fortress\, 1999.\nThe United Methodist Book of Worship. Nashville\, TN: The United Methodist Publishing House\, 1992.
URL:https://www.brmc.org.sg/event/season-of-christmas-5/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261231
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20270101
DTSTAMP:20260604T154629
CREATED:20251008T031134Z
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UID:12010-1798675200-1798761599@www.brmc.org.sg
SUMMARY:Watchnight Covenant Renewal
DESCRIPTION:WHAT IS IT?\nNot part of the Christian liturgical calendar but a Methodist distinctive. Essentially a vigil\, it is a service usually held on New Year’s Eve\, crossing into the new year. This gave rise to its more popular name – a “Watchnight” Service. \nWHY DO WE CELEBRATE IT?\nJohn Wesley found the service to be an important means of spiritual renewal\, and conducted such services in the the Methodist societies he visited. \nCOVENANT RENEWAL\nCentral to the service is the Covenant Prayer\, where we are summoned to commit ourselves completely to God\, in every area of our lives. It is a serious covenant not meant to entered into without adequate preparation. \nWHAT DO WE DO?\nWe gather to reflect\, and give thanks to God for the year that is past\, and renew our covenant\, rooted in our baptism\, for God to be our God and we to be his people. \nRed is used to as a symbol of the Holy Spirit\, consecrating us and setting us apart for God. \nWe commit ourselves completely to God and his purposes. \nVIGILS AND CHRISTIAN WORSHIP\nVigils are worship services in which Christians watch and wait in the presence of God through the night into the new day. Its roots lie in the Jewish practice of passover. Early Christians gathered on the eve of Easter for the similar purpose of retelling the Gospel story which shapes our identity as Christians. This became known as the Great Easter Vigil\, inspiring other lesser vigils in Christian worship. \nREFERENCES \nAlexander\, J. Neil. Celebrating Liturgical Time: Days\, Weeks\, and Seasons\, 2014.\nUnited Methodist Church. The United Methodist Book of Worship. Nashville\, TN: The United Methodist Publishing House\, 1992.
URL:https://www.brmc.org.sg/event/watchnight-covenant-renewal-5/
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