Advent is well and truly here and, as Bishop Tim made clear last Sunday, we must ‘watch’ while we wait for the coming of the Christ child at Christmas. Well, it wouldn’t be Christmas without him, would it? Nor will we be ready to meet him if we don’t get the preparations right - and that means a little bit more than just putting up the Christmas tree, buying the crackers and making sure that all the presents are wrapped...

If the message didn’t get through on a busy Advent Sunday, then it never will! The day began early with Bishop Tim celebrating a Prayer Book Communion, then blessing the new roof and thanking donors and contractors in the blessed sunshine and going on to license the Rector and install Kathy as the first Cathedral Canon since the 1960s. It was a moving and thought-provoking morning, involving almost everyone, from the children lighting the first Advent candle and Barnaby reading the first Lesson, Stirling acting as Verger, the Deputy Governor, Daphne and the Cathedral’s new Canon all presenting symbolic gifts to the new Rector, plus a superb robed choir conducted by Wendy Reynolds providing some wonderful musical accompaniment – and not forgetting some memorable words from the Bishop.

It should not have been possible to equal this performance on the same day, but not only did we manage a well-attended afternoon session of Messy Church in the Parish Hall but a full Advent Carol Service with choir in the evening. A truly memorable day, indeed, and remarkable, too, for making us re-think the Christian message and what it actually means to be a Christian. Not just maintaining the fabric of a building but thinking about ourselves. Not just welcoming new ministers spread the message. Not just listening to the music but joining in the song…

The Revd Ian Faulds, Rector at Christ Church Cathedral Falkland Islands