Have you noticed that our parish has been transitioning from the reflective mood of Advent, and entering into a mode that welcomes the birth of Jesus at Christmas? Nonetheless, many parts are still “half done”.

If you have observed that there have been no Christmas tree until now and wondered if it is a “little too late”. Well that is because Christmas trees and other Christmas decorations are usually set up the Sunday before Christmas at the end of our reflection period in Advent. Commercial enterprises on the other hand, tend to anticipate the Christmas season, sometimes even before Advent begins, and often put up their Christmas trees and decorations as early as the start of October.

So that is why last Sunday, if you had followed your nose, you would have been led to the front entrance where you would have been met with a 10-foot tall pine tree emanating a rich floral scent of rose and vanilla that would have filled your senses. The lovely warm, sweet and refreshing fragrance in the air fills touches your heart as you head up to the worship hall and as you wonder if…

Yes, the pine tree is REAL!

Christmas Decoration team 2021 unpacking the 10 foot tall pine tree and getting drenched and soaked in the rain midway through

Solar powered, beautiful all-weather waterproof 20 meters string fairy LED lights, lace the Christmas tree, warming us up with 8 different modes of colour

All appreciation goes out to this year’s Christmas Decoration team 2021 consisting of a few parishioners from the Leadership Formation batch 1 and 2 who started together 2 months ago in November to brainstorm, discuss, plan and carry out how can they make the celebration of Christmas meaningful.

So the team thought, why not make the Nativity scene come alive!

Walking through the different parts of church, I actually experienced the Nativity stories jumping out of the Bible for me as I experienced everything life-sized and as I admired how this mega Christmas tree that towered over me in twice my height, was a work in progress – the pine tree was so bare and yet simply beautiful.

Along the sidewalks, delightfully made planters were decorated with glittery ribbons and shiny ornaments.

To the far end, I glance at an empty huge shelter, which is now empty, until the day of Christmas, when the baby Jesus would be enthroned.

With the blessings of being able to have more opportunities to be in our newly renovated church with refreshed sections, I was swept with a moment of reflections of how I feel the hope, peace, joy and love of God our Father, as I enjoyed being in our Father’s house, just a few meters away from my residence and greeting friends whom I had not seen so long in person and in the flesh. In that moment, it is heaven on earth- I am living in the kingdom of God. Here and now.

Charming as it was, I pranced along quickly towards the worship hall and was astonished to find what looked like Mary and Joseph in life-sized and looking like they were headed somewhere, the inn. But lo and behold, Mary is PREGNANT! This is the first time I am seeing Mary with a huge belly. She came alive for me, it is so relatable and so real!

With an anticipated excitement of what more decorations will change in the following week, I headed up to the worship hall, just in time to have a few minutes adoring God as I felt so thankful of how much effort has been put into these Christmas decorations that made a difference to me, before the weekend’s Eucharistic Celebration started.

Here are a few behind the scenes of the awesome Christmas decorations you see all around church which has been planned and carried out by the 2 teams who had come together in November to brain storm how to bring Jesus Christmas cheer to each of us through Christmas decorations.

  • Christmas Decorations Team: “The Wishing Tree”
  • Arranged by:Terence Tan, Esther Lee, Dickson Ooi, Mervyn Wong & Charis Lim
  • Helpers: Jordan Hong, Jaqueline Ho, Priscilla Tan, Henry Lim

“Make a wish” or say “thank you” to Jesus for all the joy he has brought into your life by taking a few minutes to write it and hang it up.

Charis Lim:”so heartwarming to see this & many other prayers too.”

Contributor: Charis Lim

Interviewed by: Julianne Danielle Lim