Welcome to the multivoiced, collaborative project we’re calling the 12 Days of Christmas Project! The season of Christmas spans the twelve days between Christmas Day and Epiphany (January 6). Each day, we will drop a new post from a person who calls Hillside home. We hope that, through these reflections, you may be drawn more deeply into the presence of Christ this season.
Day 12 – Twelve Days of Christmas Project
The Twelfth Day of Christmas by Jared Both For the twelfth day of Christmas, Jared brings a close to the season of Christmas with a video reflection. Thanks for taking the time to read and watch each of the twelve reflections in this multivoiced project. If you missed any of them, head to https://www.hillsidelondon.com/twelvedaysofchristmas/ to find the whole series. Merry Christmas!
Day 9 – Twelve Days of Christmas Project
The Ninth Day of Christmas by Linda Burnett These twelve days hold a profound significance for Christians as a period of reflection, celebration, and renewed devotion. Far from being just a festive countdown, these days provided the opportunity to meditate on the birth of Jesus Christ and the transformative messsage of the Gospel. This season is a sacred time for me as it centres on three virtues that are the bedrock of my faith; love, joy, and peace. Love.The Christmas…
Day 8 – Twelve Days of Christmas Project
The Eighth Day of Christmas by Steph Card For her contribution to the Twelve Days of Christmas project, Steph put together a video reflection. We hope you take 5 minutes to enjoy the video and reflect upon its message of hope.
Day 7 – Twelve Days of Christmas Project
The Seventh Day of Christmas by Loralyn Smith There have been so many ways throughout my life that Christ has been very present to me. I have often felt him closest when I’m in nature, whether in a wooded trail nearby or sitting next to the sea in far away places. In those moments when I have quieted myself completely, I have experienced true joy in feeling His presence in such a real way that it has brought tears of…
Day 6 – Twelve Days of Christmas Project
The Sixth Day of Christmas by Melissa Gower Steve asked three questions to think about when writing this Christmas reflection: How has Christ be present for me? How has Jesus showed up for me in this season I am in? How has joy shown up in my world because of Christ? As I sit here just days before Christmas 2024 listening to Handel’s Messiah and looking at my lit tree, contemplating these three questions, I am overwhelmed by the many…
Day 5 – Twelve Days of Christmas Project
The Fifth Day of Christmas by Hannah Haigh The presence of Christ has always been a subject I find difficult to put into words. As some of you may know, Julian and I both took some time away from the church in our twenties and thirties, and attending Hillside with our children has been a return to the church for the both of us. Growing up in the Church, I never really resonated with the concept of God’s presence. People…
Day 4 – Twelve Days of Christmas Project
The Fourth Day of Christmas by Carissa Groot-Nibbelink When I first read the series of questions that prompted this twelve days of Christmas piece, my initial response was “I don’t know.” Of course, within a few minutes, I had a long list of moments and people, numerous stories, and honest reflection that there were many, many more moments, people and stories that I could not name because either I could not see it or I didn’t know in that moment.…
Day 3 – Twelve Days of Christmas Project
The Third Day of Christmas by Sue Gowan When the Psalmist wrote, Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning, or at Christmas when we sing O tidings of comfort and joy, the emotions of consolation and delight seem like pretty diametrically opposing ideas – there’s a huge gap between mourning and flourishing. That very tension seemed more real to us this Advent season. Our understanding of how they fit together was altered as Paul’s mother…
Day 2 – Twelve Days of Christmas Project
The Second Day of Christmas by Aveleen Schinkel I used to think I trusted God. I grew up in a Christ-centred home and chose to follow Jesus as a teenager.Obviously I trusted God; He’s, like, God. Why would I think otherwise? The truth was, I knew in my head that God was trustworthy. But that didn’t mean I was actually placing my trust in Him. I still wanted to be neatly in control of everything, and I don’t think I…
Day 1 – Twelve Days of Christmas Project
The First Day of Christmas by Steve Coupland As I write this, tiny flakes of snow are falling from the sky, landing on green grass, and melting. The visible landscape around me waits at the intersection of two seasons: fall and winter. Here at Hillside, we also wait at the intersection of seasons: transition and what lies ahead for this community. Advent is by far one of my favourite seasons. It’s dark, it’s moody, and it names for us all…