sustain:if:able kiwi

christmas in the square

This year the Christmas Journey (an artistic exploration of the Christmas story) is moving from the outside the church to the city square for 14 days leading up to Christmas. (More photos here and more info here.) This is the fruit of months of negotiations and paper work on the part of Peter and Joyce Majendie.

It is a bold move that will place the Christmas message in the heart of our city. Very exciting. Very demanding. Practicalities of financing, of security and of staffing are major.

I was doing some work on workplace spirituality today and ran across that fact that St Francis of Assissi, back in the 12th century, ran an outdoor Christmas art installation. Three years before he died, he decided to hold Christmas outdoors and outside the church. He found a niche in the rock near the town square. He borrowed an ox and a donkey from a farmer and set up a manger; sculptures of Joseph and Mary, a little baby doll Jesus. There was lights and music, the first ever outdoor Christmas art installation.

Which got me thinking about how Peter and Joyce taking the Christmas Journey to the square this year. And how they are just following in the footsteps of St Francis; Preach the Gospel at all times, use art and the outdoors and the public spaces. Go to people. Use lights and music. And if necessary, use words.