Today we were able to hold our Advent Eucharist service, our first Eucharist service since 2019. It was a beautiful and moving service led by Deacon David and Rev Ifeanyi. Thank you to the parents and carers who also joined us.
The Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion, the Mass, or the Lord’s Supper, can take many different forms across the Church of England. At the heart of the celebration there is always a special prayer of thanksgiving, or ‘Eucharistic Prayer’ (eucharistein means ‘to give thanks’ in Greek). This is offered by the priest who presides at the service in the name of all who are gathered, giving thanks for all that God has given us in Christ.
Bread and wine are brought to the holy table (also called ‘the altar’), the priest prays the Eucharistic Prayer, and everyone says the Lord’s Prayer together. The school community then receives the consecrated bread and wine. (In school, the children only receive the consecrated bread or a blessing).
Deacon David spoke about the colours of the church season being purple. He shared with the children about Advent; a time of waiting for the birth of Jesus. Deacon David also introduced the journey of Posada to the children.
Posada is a traditional preparation for Christmas common in Mexico and other South American countries. It is a Spanish word “Las Posadas” which means “the inns”; an older version of today’s motels.
Typically, there would be nine inns or posadas which help individuals to remember and act out the journey that Joseph took with Mary to travel from their home in Nazareth in the North of Israel to Bethlehem in the South of Israel. The total distance is about 130km (80 miles) and would normally take 4 days walking, but they would be slower as Mary is heavily pregnant – hence the donkey for her to ride on.
They would need to stop each night to rest and Jews were supposed to offer hospitality to travellers, i.e. somewhere to rest and sleep and a place to get food. The posadas recall this journey and Mary and Joseph calling at inns to ask for somewhere to stay.
Over the next two weeks, St Michael’s classrooms will be a posada (inn) and Mary and Joseph will stay with classes for one or two nights. They need to have a special place in which to rest, before they move on to the next class. The posadas teach us that by welcoming the poor and needy, we are welcoming Jesus.
The first stop is Ms Gillespie’s office, after which the posada will travel to the school office.
The morning has arrived and the travellers journey on to the school office.
Mary, Joseph and donkey have continued their travels. They are now safely in Year 2
Year 5 to Year 6 and then to our final collective worship of the year. We have given our visitors comfort and shelter. May we do the same in our communities.