The congregation gathers for Carols for Peace

The Annual Carols for Peace service, organised by Glasgow Churches Together and hosted by the City Council, had to contend this year not only with rainy weather but also with the Scottish League Cup final between the “Old Firm” of Rangers and Celtic, but any concerns about attendance were soon put to rest as people kept arriving and Council staff had to bring in extra chairs.  With several of the usual participants unable to join the service this year, an expanded St Mungo ensemble joined the St Mungo Singers, the Ukrainian Kids’ Club choir, the choir of the Ukrainian Parish of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the young members of the Southside Fiddlers in providing musical support.

Piper Willie Park led the civic and church leaders into the Banqueting Hall as the assembled congregation and musicians prepared to sing the opening carol O Come All Ye Faithful.

Bailie Anthony Carroll, representing the Lord Provost, then welcomed everyone to this service for peace, something that everyone is hoping and praying for across the world.  Recognising that this season comes with its own stresses for people, he expressed the wish that 2025 would bring peace in everything, personal, local and international.  Thanking Glasgow Churches Together and the musicians and choirs present for their support of the Carols for Peace, he finished with a gentle plug for the coming 850th Anniversary celebrations in 2025 of Glasgow becoming a Bishop’s Burgh.

Captain Les Heal then began the service by leading those present in prayer for all those countries and people affected by violence and war.  Particularly in the minds of all was our twinned city of Bethlehem and appropriately we then sang the lovely carol O Little Town of Bethlehem, although we doubtless reflected on the irony of some of its words at this time of such trouble.

Then we heard from Bethlehem itself as a Christmas message from Bethlehem University was played and we wondered at the ability of those students and others to send wishes of peace to us when their own situation was so threatened.  The words of the carol that followed – It Came upon the Midnight Clear – reflected many of our thoughts and wishes with its challenging description of “two thousand years of wrong” and its plea

“O hush the noise, ye men of strife and hear the angels sing”

The Ukrainian parish choir

The reading from Isaiah which followed urged us to keep hope in our hearts for the return of peace, and the beautiful choir of the Ukrainian Parish sang  In Bethlehem Joy has Come, even as we remembered that their homeland has now experienced almost three years of war.  The Gospel reading which followed, of the Escape into Egypt, reminded us that even at the first Christmas, there had been danger and violence.

 

Rev.Dr. Grant Barclay, Presbytery Clerk for Glasgow, reflected on this, that we were getting right to the heart of Christmas.  There were people from across the city present at the service, and from further afield in the live streaming and this coming together was wonderful, but the reality was different.  It was harder to have peace at Christmas.  He joked that in Glasgow it might even be a tradition to have a family argument during the celebrations.  The reality in the world is that many people are unable to go home, or have no homes to go to.  There are wars affecting so many.  But God speaks into this reality.  Just as in Glasgow, people tend not just to give you directions but to accompany you part or all of the way, so God has come down and walked with us, and he remains within and among us.  Jesus is our companion and our Saviour in life.

His reflection was followed by the singing of Silent Night in solidarity with families for whom there is “no room at the inn”, and prayers of intercession for Glasgow, and Bethlehem, for all suffering from violence and conflict, particularly in Ukraine, to which prayers the heartfelt sung response was Peace for your children, let there be peace!

The atmosphere was then  lightened by the Ukrainian Kids Club choir who gave us Jingle Bells to the accompaniment of bells (and a wonderful Ukrainian 65 stringed instrument called the bandura), singing verses in Ukrainian and the chorus in English.  The young Southside Fiddlers followed this with some lively traditional music, before the service came to an end with the praying of the Lord’s Prayer, a collection for the Lord Provost’s Fund for Children, and the final  blessing by the church representatives.

As the choirs and musicians led the singing of the final carol, Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, those present were invited to enjoy the hospitality of the City Council, while the Southside Fiddlers provided more music to accompany it.