St. Hilary's Miniature Church Advent Calendar 2009

Friday 4th December 2009

All the church pets and some of the local wildlife have come to pose for this photo!  They too are as  excited about the impending arrival of the baby Jesus at Christmas as the children, clergy and congregation.  They are enjoying their own celebration of the impending birth of Jesus as you can see here as they posed for the camera!  Count how many different animals and birds we have here - answer below!

Miss Enid was asked by the vicar to supervise.........so she is keeping a beady eye on them all whilst checking out some of her organ music.  However......oh dear......one of the frogs has decided to check the music out too!  Georgie decided to have some of her dog food at hand just in case the photo shoot went on too long and she became hungry!

All the church pets and wildlife have agreed to have this carol for today because they love the words and why..............because the carol makes mention of them too.  Syd particularly loves the third verse................we wonder why?!

(Words and music by Eleanor Farjeon - see below for futher information)

eople, look east. The time is near  Of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able, Trim the hearth and set the table. People, look east and sing today: Love, the guest, is on the way.  Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare, One more seed is planted there: Give up your strength the seed to nourish, That in course the flower may flourish. People, look east and sing today: Love, the rose, is on the way. Birds, though you long have ceased to build, Guard the nest that must be filled. Even the hour when wings are frozen God for fledging time has chosen. People, look east and sing today: Love, the bird, is on the way. Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim One more light the bowl shall brim, Shining beyond the frosty weather, Bright as sun and moon together. People, look east and sing today: Love, the star, is on the way. Angels, announce to man and beast Him who cometh from the east. Set every peak and valley humming With the word, the Lord is coming. People, look east and sing today: Love, the Lord, is on the way.

Percy insisted on spinning HIS web over poor Magnifi-Cat's food bowl!

• This was written by Eleanor Farjeon (1881 - 1965).  It was first published as "Carol of Advent" in The Oxford Book of Carols, 1928.  See here for more information and a link to the tune as a midi file. 
  Note: if you fail to hear the midi file when left clicking it - simply right click - "save target as" and then open the file once you have saved it on to your computer.
• We have: 2 mice (Nunc Dimittis and Snowy), 1 rat (Sepp), 1 pigeon (Syd), two ducks (Esme and Ernest), three frogs (they won't tell me their names!) , 1 lamb (and nor will she!) , 1 spider (Percy), 2 cats (Magnifi-Cat and Tinker) and  3 dogs (Bardsley, Georgie and Belle).