Dear colleagues

I had the real pleasure of enjoying a one-hander, audience-participatory play in London’s West End. On the ticket and flyer it said : Discover How A Simple List Changes One Life Forever.

There’s a lot of social media commentary on how this year, in the challenging context and turbulent times we inhabit, that many people are ‘going early’ for Christmas to bring early joy and lightness (literally) – which seems to just mean that lights and Christmas trees have been placed in many instances in mid November. During Advent, Christians take the opportunity to reflect on things, in order to strengthen Hope (the Christian understanding of the word Hope, not just ‘wishful thinking’), and in preparation for the specific celebration of the birth of The Saviour and all that continues to mean for individuals, society and the world.

It’s definitely not just about lights, trees, spending and excess. Many use Alternative Advent Activities and Alternative Advent Calendars (we’ve highlighted some in the items below). Reverse Advent Calendars are increasingly used, and the focus is on giving as opposed to receiving. The beautiful wooden Advent Calendar we bought when my daughter approached her first Christmas, is being used very differently this year. It’s empty now, but will be full at Christmas – not with chocolates or gifts though. Each day I’m writing something on a piece of paper, fold it, and add it to the daily slot in the Calendar.

The London play I mentioned at the start is called ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ and as a one-hander, has been played by Lenny Henry, Sue Perkins, Minnie Driver and others for a month or so by each actor. The play tells the story of a child who creates a list of all the things that make life worth living to help their mother following her suicide attempt. Throughout their life and into adulthood, the list continues to grow as they learn more about themselves and have more life experiences. It’s definitely not a depressing play – it’s poignant, funny, insightful and makes one think – and indeed, speak, or bring things on the stage, as the audience participates with the actor at certain points. It explores the lengths we will go to for those we love, and offers us individual and collective space to remember and name the gifts, joys and positive experiences of life and relationships.

Every Brilliant Thing was written over a decade ago, but has resurgences all over the world. The play is in book form if you’re interested and can’t get to the London show! When it was playing in Los Angeles, the LA Times review said ‘The list in Every Brilliant Thing now approaches over a million items. Many of them are super quirky….. but each reminds us of those glimmers of delight that are as much a part of our lives as our heaviest sorrows’.

At the time of this Bulletin, we’re only two days into Advent, so I’ve only written two sentences for our Advent Calendar. I know that by Christmas, my ‘list’ will be eclectic and full of current and past examples of things, people, places, and faith experiences that are a cause for stating and indeed, acknowledging as individual ‘brilliant things’ that I give thanks for and make life worth living, and in the words of John in the Gospel, ‘in all its fullness’.

If you don’t traditionally ‘do’ an Advent Calendar, why not try one – not the chocolate sort, but one that goes somewhat deeper and brings Hope and flourishing : you’re only two days behind, so can easily catch up on Reverse Advent Calendar offerings, or even to try the ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ version.

Thank you for who you are and what you do in your place of service and influence. May this Advent season be filled with Hope for you and those you love.

Jeff

Jeff Williams

Director of Education