Bisley’s Advent Wreath
Catholic parishioners in the Gloucestershire village of Bisley are
playing a significant part in the village’s latest ecumenical venture.
Christians in Bisley are trying and share advent more inclusively with other faiths as Malcolm Savidge explains:
“We devised a liturgy with the Anglicans and Methodists locally, where we constructed an Advent wreath from four sprays, each with a candle. Representatives of each of the churches brought a part of the wreath to the back of the church and children from all the faiths brought the final one up. This was done with appropriate advent readings hymns and prayers.
“The wreath was put together on the font at the back of the (Anglican) church (a symbol of our common baptism). The Gospel for the fourth Sunday (the annunciation narrative was read) and then the children brought the completed wreath back to the sanctuary while a Magnificat was sung. Prayers of Petition and a blessing of the wreath and the people concluded the liturgy.
“The wreath went to each church locally in turn for one Sunday and to the local school for a week. It is in each church for their carol services, all of which are ecumenical and will end up at Christmas in the Anglican Church for midnight Eucharist and in the Catholic Chapel for Mass at 8.30 am. The wreath represents our united light in a dark world from four divided sources. It was very well received by all the faiths this year and the Methodists have already put in their bid to host the liturgy next year!”
Parishioners in Bisley are part of Stroud’s Immaculate Conception Parish. Their Mass Centre is the chapel of St Mary and the Angels in Bisley village where there is also an Anglican and Methodist church. There are between 30 and 50 who attend Mass at St Mary every Sunday and congregation increases to over 80 at Christmas and Easter.
Christians in Bisley are trying and share advent more inclusively with other faiths as Malcolm Savidge explains:
“We devised a liturgy with the Anglicans and Methodists locally, where we constructed an Advent wreath from four sprays, each with a candle. Representatives of each of the churches brought a part of the wreath to the back of the church and children from all the faiths brought the final one up. This was done with appropriate advent readings hymns and prayers.
“The wreath was put together on the font at the back of the (Anglican) church (a symbol of our common baptism). The Gospel for the fourth Sunday (the annunciation narrative was read) and then the children brought the completed wreath back to the sanctuary while a Magnificat was sung. Prayers of Petition and a blessing of the wreath and the people concluded the liturgy.
“The wreath went to each church locally in turn for one Sunday and to the local school for a week. It is in each church for their carol services, all of which are ecumenical and will end up at Christmas in the Anglican Church for midnight Eucharist and in the Catholic Chapel for Mass at 8.30 am. The wreath represents our united light in a dark world from four divided sources. It was very well received by all the faiths this year and the Methodists have already put in their bid to host the liturgy next year!”
Parishioners in Bisley are part of Stroud’s Immaculate Conception Parish. Their Mass Centre is the chapel of St Mary and the Angels in Bisley village where there is also an Anglican and Methodist church. There are between 30 and 50 who attend Mass at St Mary every Sunday and congregation increases to over 80 at Christmas and Easter.
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