The Pointer December 2019 — January 2020
Rector The Rt Rev Darren McCartney 028 4175 3497 suffragan1@gmail.com
The Magazine of the Church of Ireland Parishes of Clonallon & Warrenpoint with Kilbroney in the Diocese of Down and Dromore As I write I am in a little cafe surrounded by fishermen and women and those who support the fishing industry. When I walked through the door, the first thing to hit me was the smell of fish guts, which took me back to hunting/fishing in the Arctic. I smiled to myself and thought that this smell is enough to put people, not used to it, off their food, an interesting smell for a small cafe. Smell can bring back all sorts of memories. A friend, Fr Sean Dillon, Parish Priest Kilkeel, has given me permission to retell his story. He shared with me that when doing a pastoral visit, he walked into a barn where a calf had just been born. He said that the smell brought back a memory that had remained dormant for over fifty years.
There is a star above the Christmas tree in the cafe where I sit writing and it shifts my thoughts to another barn. I wonder just what kind of smells were present when our Lord was born? We can imagine how the shepherds brought with them their own smell when visiting the Holy Family, just as the fishermen and women have brought their smell with them into this little cafe. Saint Francis is attributed to beginning the tradition of the nativity that we see today. We are told that villagers’ torches were a beautiful sight as the people made their way up the hillside to see the nativity that Francis had assembled. Saint Francis was seeking to communicate the message of the gospel to the people of his day in a way that would speak to the heart. Chris Tomlin paints the scene so beautifully in his worship song “Noel” that speaks so well to my heart and to many others across the globe.
“Star and Angels give the sign. Bow to babe on bended knee. The Saviour of humanity. Unto us a child is born, he shall reign forevermore. Noel, Noel, come and see what God has done, Noel, Noel, the story of amazing love, the light of the world, given for us, Noel.
Son of God and Son of man, there before the world began. Born to suffer, born to shame, born to raise us from the grave. Christ the everlasting Lord. He shall reign forevermore. Noel, Noel, come and see what God has done, Noel, Noel, the story of amazing love, the light of the world, given for us, Noel.” What a beautiful message, what a beautiful thing to come and see what God has done. It is my sincere hope that you will be encouraged to come and celebrate with us as we approach Christmas. Come as you are and join with us as we celebrate what God has done. Please consider the opportunity that Christmas affords to ask others to come, as they are, to see what God has done.
A mother and father came into the cafe with their young autistic child. The family were obviously well known to those in the cafe as people made sure they felt welcome and at ease. It was so nice, moving in fact, to see them relax and have a meal together whilst their young lad was free to be who he is and among people who were very comfortable with him.
Blessings +Darren