Edwardian Evening — a celebration of life!

by Alison Duckers, Okehampton Pioneer Minister

Sometime around about a couple of thousand years ago Bethlehem would have been packed out. I imagine it was probably a bit like Okehampton on Edwardian Evening.

An unusually large crowd had descended on the town that year for a census.

It was good news for the usually sleepy town, the perfect opportunity to open up shop fronts and guest rooms and to hand out street food. No doubt musicians and storytellers accompanied the throng.

Life was both crammed into the town and bursting out from the town. For a short time people from every different walk of life were drawn together in the place they all called their hometown. Some had been born there, some had family connections by blood or marriage, and others had migrated there.

The need to come together to be counted became an opportunity to celebrate the life of the community, and everyone was caught up in the celebrations. And for Bethlehem that year, arriving almost unnoticed into their celebrations that night, was the one in whom we find life. Most people would have missed it completely.

The Edwardian Evening in Okehampton is a fantastic celebration of life in the place many of us call our hometown.

There really is something very special about the Edwardian Evening. It isn’t just the mulled wine and cider or the amazing Christmas lights or the hustle and bustle or the stollen and mince pies or the street entertainers or the carol singing.

Edwardian Evening seems to get us into the Christmas mood, it kick-starts our Christmas celebrations.

God with us, the one in whom we find life, is still part of those celebrations over two thousand years later. I really do hope that many in our town don’t miss him completely!