Mothers' Union Meeting Report: 14th November

The meeting, as always, was opened with a short service with a bible reading by Gwyneth.

Update on the Rise Up Against Domestic Abuse campaign: notices are to be put up in the church toilets with information about help.

The diocesan Advent Carol Service will be held at St Ann's Church, Manchester on Saturday, the 2nd of December.

Our next meeting will be our Christmas bring and share supper on the 12th of December.

Our guest speaker was Mr Rob Knotts, who spoke about the nativity and the different ways Christmas is celebrated in different countries. 

The first depiction he had found was of the three Wise Men, believed to be from the 3rd century. The image was very faint but still recognisable.

He went on to show more images from the early Christian churches and how they depicted the nativity, but all seemed to have the ox and ass.

He then went on to describe the different depictions of Father Christmas. He was first known as the gift giver, and in different countries, they had, and still do have, differing representations of our Father Christmas. He doesn't wear a red cloak as that was an American idea to advertise Coca Cola!

He ended by showing us some of the carvings he had done of the nativity, which were beautiful, but not for sale. It takes approximately six hours to carve one figure and there can be 10 in a set, so he gives them as gifts. He also showed us his carvings of Father Christmas, which were also very good. He is a very gifted man. 

After the talk, a vote of thanks was given.

As always, we ended the evening with a cup of tea and a chat.

Margaret Lees