Shankill’s ‘Tree of Hope’
‘The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.’
These words from ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ have a particular resonance this year as the fear and anxiety that the Coronavirus pandemic has brought to our doors is mixed with the first shoots of hope as a vaccine begins to slowly roll out.
Shankill Parish has created an opportunity for the Lurgan community to collectively give expression to their hopes and fears with a ‘Tree of Hope’ in the grounds of the ‘Big Church’.
The gates are open from 10.00 am – 8.00 pm each day this week and folk are invited to drop by and place a star on the tree. On each star, people can write their hopes and their fears and at 7.45 pm, a small group of parishioners will gather at the tree to pray for what has been expressed each day.
Revd Mark Harvey, rector of Shankill says: “2020 has been such a difficult year at so many levels, a year when anxiety and fear have been part of everyone’s experience. Our bishop has encouraged all the parishes in the diocese to put a Christmas tree up outside the church and we felt that given our prominent location, it was a good opportunity to create a community focal point where people can quietly give some expression to what they are feeling this Christmas. We’re praying for these hopes and fears each evening because we believe that Jesus is still Immanuel ‘God with us’.”
The Tree of Hope will remain open until Sunday 20 December.