Dr. Grant Barclay bringing us the message from the
Princess of Wales

This was the first time the annual Carols for Peace service was able to be held in person since lockdown and by happy co-incidence, it was able to be linked in with the Community Carol Services requested by the Royal Foundation of the Prince & Princess of Wales.  There were some concerns about attendance numbers,  as there had been such a long break since the previous service, and it was a bitterly cold day, but the organisers in Glasgow Churches Together had done a splendid job in getting together many of those who had participated in previous events, including the St Mungo Singers, the St Mungo Ensemble, the pupils from St Denis Primary, and the children of the Southside Fiddlers.  Unfortunately our usual Salvation Army Band was unable to join us but their colleagues from Paisley Salvation Army Band fitted in brilliantly.

The Banqueting Hall was soon humming with people – not quite full but a goodly attendance, and the whole atmosphere was one of joy at being together and taking part. In keeping with tradition, Willie Park, our piper, played outside the City Chambers and the instrumentalists greeted people as they arrived.  In the Banqueting Hall itself the choir sang and the band played to set the mood for the service.  Bailie Patricia Ferguson, representing the Lord Provost, and church and civic representatives were led in by Piper Willie for the beginning of the service and the singing of the rousing opening communal carol O Come All Ye Faithful.

Bailie Ferguson greeted everyone, saying it was good to be able to get together again for this long established event, and expressing her thanks to the children of St Denis’s, the Southside Fiddlers and the other musicians.  She reflected that Christmas can be a time of stress for people, particularly this year as we face a cost of living crisis, but it is good to be at this service which reminds us of the true spirit of Christmas – which is not just about giving and receiving presents.

Setting the scene for the context of Christmas, David Harris sang the Christmas Proclamation which puts the birth of Jesus firmly in history, not story.  We were all then invited to pray for peace for Bethlehem, our twinned city, and for so many places affected by war and violence.   Rev Dr Grant Barclay, Kings Chaplain and Presbytery Clerk for Glasgow Presbytery followed this by reading the message from the Princess of Wales.

St Denis’s stars giving it their all

St Denis’s children then started us off again on our carols, with Joy to the World and Who could imagine a King , before the St Mungo Singers led the congregational singing in  O Little Town of Bethlehem which was a lovely introduction to the Christmas message from the Mayor of Bethlehem which followed, and a message from Patriarch Pizzaballa of Jerusalem who expressed his joy that we were able to pray together.

The youngsters of the Southside Fiddlers, as ever, stunned us with their wonderful abilities and skill, before the scripture readings were proclaimed.  In the reflection which followed, Captain Les Heal of the Salvation Army referred us to psalm 46(45), the words of which are not usually associated with Christmas, but he gently suggested that we needed to be reminded that God is always with us, at a time when Covid, the war in Ukraine, and the changes of government leaders and monarch have made things seem so uncertain.

Yet it was also so at the time of the nativity, when society then was anything but silent and peaceful (despite the words of Silent Night!) with taxes and violent leaders and oppression.  We need to see life as a constant Advent season when the coming of Christ gives us reason to hope.  We are never alone and we need to let God’s peace envelope us.  In the words of the song “Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me”.

In the Intercessions which followed, we prayed for Glasgow, its Council and council workers providing services, and for those who have come to the city as refugees, looking for peace and security.  We remembered those who have lost loved ones in the pandemic and prayed for those being affected by the cost of living crisis.  Finally we prayed for those suffering in areas of conflict in our world, including in particular Ukraine and Bethlehem.

The mood was lightened by some more input from the Southside Fiddlers and the St Denis’s children who gave it their all.  The congregation then  joined in praying the Our Father and a collection was taken for the Lord Provost’s Fund for Children, before the church representatives present came together to bless those present.  The service finished with another rousing carol Hark the Herald Angels Sing putting everyone in the mood for refreshments in the Satinwood Suite where the young Southside Fiddlers provided toe tapping entertainment.

An appropriate end to a lovely joy-filled service.