W2B-005 Irish writing - Churches-1.txt
HILLSBOROUGH In the Churches at Christmas

The four Sundays of Advent are days of preparation for the celebration of Christmas and Christ's coming into the world. During those days there are many opportunities to reflect on God's love for the world and on the Light of Christ that still shines in many places of darkness.

The 1992 Advent Sermon at Hillsborough Parish Church will be delivered by the Bishop of Down and Dromore, the Rt. Rev. Gordon McMullan. The sermon, entitled "Going with the grain", will look at the human implications of the free market economy. That will be at 11.00 a.m. on Sunday, 6th December. On the same evening at 7.30 p.m. the village community will come together with children from the primary school for the switching on of the Christmas tree lights in the Church Square.

During the weeks of Advent a toy collection is made for children in need. New toys are placed in the church windows and then as Christmas comes the Salvation Army distribute them to homes where toys are scarce.

On the last Sunday night of Advent, the Sunday before Christmas (20th December), the Christmas story is related in words and music and symbol in a Service of Lessons, Carols and Christingles. The service comes to an end as the children carry lighted Christingles out into the darkness of the winter night and so herald the coming of the Light of Christ into the world. Christmas is now very near.

Christmas Day begins at Hillsborough on the stroke of midnight. Then the bells ring out in celebration of the Day that Christ was born. Worship continues that day with services at 8.30 a.m., 11.00 a.m. and 12 noon.

My message to people this year is in this Advent Prayer:

Grant, o God, as we rejoice in the hope of the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ so we may prepare the way for His Coming again by the joyful service and the faithful witness of our daily lives, and May the God of hope fill you with all Joy and Peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Christmas - the season of celebration and thanksgiving, when we remember the birth of Jesus! It is a wonderful time, for the church and the community, but there is always the danger that we allow the traditional festivities to blind us to the awful surroundings that were that stable in Bethlehem and the dreadful plight of millions who are starving in our world today. Even in the midst of the present recession, the church needs to confront people with the human tendency towards greed an its striking contrast to God's pattern of giving.

The Congregation of Hillsborough Presbyterian Church will once again this year be taking a special offering for World Development throughout the Christmas period. In recent years over £ 2000 has been raised annually and we hope to exceed that in 1992. But we hope to do much more. the months leading up to Christmas we have been reflecting on some of the barriers that exist in today's world and how they can be crossed "in Christ". Our prayer is that in our own lives, in the life of our community and world, the message of the Angels will become a reality this Christmas: "Glory to God in the Highest and on earth Peace, Goodwill towards men."
The Christmas activities and services in the congregation are as follows:
Saturday, 5th December - Senior Citizens Party.

Saturday, 12th December Ð Sunday School Parties.

Sunday, 20th December Ð Family Services at 10 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. with music from the Junior Choir Festival of Lessons and Carols by Candlelight at 7 p.m. by the Senior Choir. This Service will be followed by a supper served by the Young Women of the Congregation.

Thursday, 24th December - Christmas Day Family Service at 10.30 a.m.

ELIM PENTECOSTAL CHURCH

a few minutes from the village of Hillsborough on the Moira Road is the Elim Pentecostal Church.

Often referred to as the Church with a difference because of its lively praise and worship and belief that the church which is Christ's body, should care for the community spirit, soul and body. In doing so we hope to reflect God's love and His comprehensive, caring nature.

The spiritual needs of members are met in regular Sunday and mid-week services. Activities arranged to cater for other needs include Youth Together (Sunday School), Youth Ministries, Boys Brigade, Girls Brigade, Teens Youth Club, Nursery School/Playgroup, Mums and Toddlers and a Coffee shop.

The elderly have not been forgotten with visits in their homes from our team of Home Visitors, a weekly craft class and monthly Luncheon Club. Adjacent to the church complex is one of our Elim Nursing Homes "Lisadian House" which provides an efficient, non-acute care unit for 29 frail and elderly residents in single bedrooms.

Our aim is to demonstrate the love of Christ in every way possible to the local community in which we work and worship. Christmas is a time of joy and a time of exchanging gifts.
