Paws for Thought
The Theological Education of Rectory Puppy

Welcome to the next instalment of the continuing theological education of Jessie (The rectory puppy) under the wise tutelage of Lexie (a wise old dog with formal theological training and many years’ experience)

Jessie: Christmas is here, Hooray!!
Lexie: Not yet Jessie.
Jessie: It definitely is, I’ve seen the John Lewis advert.
Lexie: That doesn’t mean it’s Christmas.
Jessie: Spoil sport, I was looking forward to long walks, slobbing on the sofa and eating everything possible.
Lexie: and how, exactly, is that different to normal?
Jessie: hmmmm, I see your point.
Lexie: We have another liturgical season to go.
Jessie: what is that?
Lexie: well, in the church we have different seasons.
Jessie: like summer and autumn, their my favourite.
Lexie: Sort of, but these are marked with different colours in church and a different focus in spirituality.
Jessie: Autumn has different colours, reds and yellows and orange. Their my favourite.
Lexie: exactly, we are about to go into Advent which is the season that starts the church year.
Jessie: and what colour is Advent?
Lexie: Purple.
Jessie: amazing, I can’t wait for the trees to turn purple.
Lexie: it’s not everything that turns purple but the colour of the alter, stole and chasuble change.
Jessie: oh, I remember that a stole is the awesome scarf that rev Keir wears remind me what a chasuble is…..
Lexie: a Chasuble is the vestment Priests wear for the Eucharist.
Jessie: You mean Rev Keir’s Poncho?
Lexie: yes it does look like a poncho but…
Jessie: anyway, how long does Advent last, I cannot wait until Christmas.
Lexie: It lasts for 4-5 weeks before Christmas.
Jessie: when does it start?
Lexie: this year it’s the 27^th November.
Jessie: aaaarrggh, I cannot wait that long.
Lexie: waiting is a key theme for Advent. some people mark the season with an advent calendar with a treat each day.
Jessie: a sausage, every day. Advent is sounding better already
Lexie: probably not but rev Keir usually has a chocolate.
Jessie: but we can’t eat chocolate.
Lexie: we will probably get something, like a gravy bone.
Jessie: wow, they’re my favourite.
Lexie: they are nice.
Jessie: but how come Advent is 5 weeks and Christmas is one day
Lexie: Christmas is actually a season that lasts 12 days.
Jessie: wonderful, so treats everyday, long walks and slobbing on the sofa all day for 12 whole days
Lexie: yes
Jessie: so we have just got to get through advent…
Lexie: with treats every day, long walks, and lots of napping….
Jessie: when you put it like that…..