“Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning.”

Psalm 30:5

Today is the Third Sunday of Advent and a time for patience, reflection, peace and hopefully a time of joy as we prepare to welcome the arrival of Jesus into our lives – once more.

Here in Merryworth Town and as our excited young mice open another door of their Advent Calendar – Verger Philly waits beside the glorious ‘Rubbish’ Christmas tree inside St M’s Parish Church.

And as she listens to the joyful bird song in the chilly morning outside and watches as the old bare trees cast glorious shadows through the windows – she is waiting for Mary to arrive to light our THIRD Advent Candle.

Although Mary was VERY excited to have been invited to light the first, second AND third Advent Candles – she is VERY forgetful and even though she will often struggle to remember the simplest things and becomes upset and confused very easily – the mice of Merryworth ALWAYS try to help Mary live her best life.

But with NO sign of Mary and with a promised morning of craft AND cookies with the ‘Merryworth Mouselings’ as the young mice think about the meaning of Christmas – Verger Philly potters over to the Advent Wreath with the candle snuffer.

As the excited chatter and laughter of the ‘Mouselings’ can be heard outside in the garden – Verger Philly lights our FIRST Advent Candle of hope, our SECOND Advent Candle of peace and then our THIRD Candle of joy which reminds us of the importance of what it is to rejoice!

And with a VERY busy few days of Advent planned – Verger Philly is feeling VERY joyful at the thought of a quiet Sunday afternoon in which to listen to some music, a new book of poetry to read AND tucking into one of the Rev. Suze’s delicious mince pies!