11/12/2016 Songs of Praise

I'm in Lapland with some very special families for the trip

of a lifetime.

And, of course, this is the only way to travel.

'These children have been seriously ill,

'and today they're getting a real treat.'

Reindeers are really fun, and I liked having a ride on the sled.

'I'll be meeting a little girl who has leukaemia and hearing how

'her mum has trusted in God.'

He's like a confidant that I can...

pour my heart out to.

'Also this week, we find out why the maitre d'

'of a top London restaurant decided to give up the high life.'

I turned to the chauffeur and said,

"What am I doing serving people whose restaurant bill is £3,000?"

'And I'll be discovering the origins of the Christmas tree...

'in Devon!'

I'm not a huge tinsel fan, but that is amazing.

It's like the Las Vegas of Christmas trees. It's brilliant.

'To accompany our Christmas trip to Lapland,

'we have some great carols, a new song from Matt Redman and

'a poignant performance from the Military Wives Choir.'

But our main focus today is definitely these wonderful

families, who, believe me, deserve some pampering.

'Very soon, we'll be on the lookout for you-know-who.

'But let's begin with an uplifting gospel song with an Advent theme.'

# Hallelujah

# Ooh-ooh-ooh-lujah

# Hallelujah

# Ooh-ooh-ooh-lujah

# Hallelujah

# Ooh-ooh-ooh-lujah. #

'Our Lapland trip started VERY early in the morning at

'East Midlands Airport,

'the perfect time for a singsong!'

# Away in a manger

# No crib for a bed... #

'Within four hours, we'd flown 2,000 miles north.'

-CAPTAIN:

-'We should be crossing the Arctic Circle in exactly

'19 minutes from now.'

'And this is Lapland, temperature minus 20 degrees,

'and the official home of Santa in the city of Rovaniemi.

'We're so far north, the sun's only up for a few short hours.

'The charity When You Wish Upon A Star aims to give an

'unforgettable experience to children who suffer from

'life-threatening conditions

'like heart failure, paralysis and cancer.'

There's reindeer!

'One of those children is eight-year-old Molly,

'a very brave little girl.

'Diagnosed last year with leukaemia,

'Molly's still having regular courses of treatment.'

The first thing you think when you hear "leukaemia" is...

"Not a good thing," because... you're ignorant about

what it's all about, and straight away you think, "Not good."

But after you get over the shock, then you just jump straight

into action to, like, do whatever you've got to do.

'Fiona could only watch while Molly went through round after round

'of painful chemotherapy.

'But the family are now hopeful that she's over the worst.'

She seems to be responding really well to all her treatment.

I like that saying, "Stress makes you think that everything

"has to be done straight away," and faith gives you the...

reassurance that it's going to happen in God's time and just

to be patient and... just... That's all you can do.

So, in all that's happened to you, what keeps you going?

I just...

pour my heart out to God and Jesus and tell them my problems

instead of weighing other people down.

Yeah, he's like a confidant that I can pour my heart out to...

and not feel guilty about anything.

-And you must be so thankful to be here.

-Yeah!

Well, with God's grace it's been put together and everyone's having

a fantastic time, and...

It's a very special thing, especially for the children

that are really, really poorly and being pushed around, you know?

This is something they never get to

do in their normal daily life, do they?

-It's a huge blessing, isn't it, to be here?

-It is a blessing. Yeah.

'Here on our Lapland trip,

'it's the moment the children have all been waiting for.

'They get to meet Santa!'

There he is!

CHILDREN CHEER

'But Christmas isn't just about giving and receiving presents,

'it's also a time of year when we think about those less

'fortunate than ourselves.'

In our next story, we meet a man who gave up

a glamorous career amongst London's glitterati

to devote his life to helping others.

For most of us, Christmas means eating - lots of it, whether

it's at home with the family or perhaps out and about with friends.

But for some people, it's a time when they can't afford to eat

at all, let alone at a top restaurant like this one.

'Stephen Chamberlain used to run this fine-dining restaurant

'in London in the 1980s.'

When L'Escargot opened in 1981, it was really the only place in

Soho to be seen, and it was so exciting to be there.

You could eat the atmosphere! It was full of creativity.

Princess Diana was there, Cliff Richard was there,

Madonna came, Prince Andrew.

Or you may not recognise them. I didn't recognise Tom Cruise.

I was the maitre d', greeter and seater. It's a very exciting job.

L'Escargot. Lovely.

'Then, amongst all this glamour,

'Stephen had a life-changing experience.'

Well, I was invited to the opening of a hospice,

and I was absolutely bowled over by the care and love that was

being offered to people who were basically terminally ill,

and I stayed for about three hours.

I'd actually gone with a chauffeur-driven car,

and the chauffeur was waiting for me.

And as I came out, I turned to the chauffeur and said,

"What am I doing?!

"What am I doing serving people whose restaurant bill is £3,000...

"when I could be working here?"

'I handed in my notice at L'Escargot, became a volunteer.'

Was that a Christian conscience that prompted those things?

Definitely.

I had an epiphany moment. I suddenly realised where my Christian

values were taking me and were going to lead me.

'The care that you give to customers at L'Escargot you can give to

'people who really need care.

'After working as a volunteer at many Christian charities,

'Stephen is now back in the restaurant business,

'except this time it's free, for people in need.'

-Are they nice?

-Yes, they're very nice.

-Oh, good! Well done,

because you made them.

'Four years ago, he set up St Laurence's Larder at his church.

'The standards are still high, and he gives his guests

'a three-course meal and a taste of the fine-dining experience.'

-John, would you like to meet Pam?

-Hello, John!

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you. The soup looks good.

-It's beautiful. Yeah, really nice.

-Yeah!

It's absolutely brilliant,

and the service they give is brilliant, really.

This is a lifeline for me, really, so it is.

They give you food to take away.

It's better than a five-star hotel,

-really, so it is, really and truly.

-Mm.

-Can I tempt you to a sandwich?

-Thank you.

You know, Stephen, he's a unique sort of a man, you know?

He is a very special man, yes.

The most important thing is greeting people and seating them and

making sure they have a really fabulous time.

It may only be for four hours,

but they're treated like royalty and they eat like royalty.

-All right, Chris?

-I'm all right, thank you.

-Have a good weekend.

-I shall.

-Are you going to take some food with you?

-I will.

It makes me feel like a normal human being, you know?

Like I'm part of the community.

Andy, are you OK? Yes? Yeah? You OK, Chris? Good, good, good.

'Christians are asked to serve.'

And we here at St Laurence's Larder

are serving people, as Christ asked us to do.

# Love came down at Christmas

# Love all lovely, love divine

# Love was born at Christmas

# Star and angels gave the sign

# Love came down, love came down

# Love came down at Christmas

# Worship we the godhead

# Love incarnate, love divine

# Worship we our Jesus

# But wherewith for sacred sign?

# Love came down, love came down

# Love came down at Christmas

# Love shall be our token

# Love be yours and love be mine

# Love to God and all men

# Love for plea and gift and sign

# Love came down, love came down

# Love came down at Christmas

# Love came down, love came down

# Love came down...

# At Christmas. #

'Here in the Lapland forest is Santa's very own village post

'office, where letters can be left for the man himself.'

It's only a fortnight to Christmas,

and if you're anything like me, you'll still need some more cards.

So why not buy some of our Songs Of Praise Christmas cards?

All the details are on our website...

..and proceeds go to BBC Children In Need.

'On our trip, many of the children need constant medical attention,

'and Michael is one of three paramedics who've taken time

'off work to help out.'

I do feel, as an operational paramedic,

that I am serving God, Queen and country, and I do feel that,

actually, it is making a difference.

'Giving up time for a day like this is so special for many reasons.

'It makes the day for the children.

'It's an honour and a privilege, really, to share same of the

'fantastic memories that they will be able to share as a family.'

Well done!

Our next carol is brand-new from the worship leader Matt Redman.

It's a fresh interpretation on the carol

O Little Town Of Bethlehem, and it's performed from the crypt

at Lambeth Palace, the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

# O little town of Bethlehem

# How still we see thee lie

# Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

# The silent stars go by

# Yet in thy dark streets shineth

# The everlasting light

# The hopes and fears of all the years

# Are met in thee tonight

# And the glory of Christmas

# Is the glory of Christ

# And the glory of Christmas

# Is the story of his love

# O holy child of Bethlehem

# Descend to us, we pray

# Cast out our sin and enter in

# Be born in us today

# We hear the Christmas angels

# The great glad tidings tell

# Oh, come to us, abide with us

# Our Lord Emmanuel

# And the glory of Christmas

# Is the glory of Christ

# And the glory of Christmas

# Is the story of his love

# Oh, the story of his love

# His love, his love for us

# Oh, the story of his love

# How silently, how silently

# The wondrous gift is given

# So God imparts to human hearts

# The blessings of his heaven

# No ear may hear his coming

# But in this world of sin

# Where meek souls will receive him still

# The dear Christ enters in

# Oh, Christ be welcomed in

# And the glory of Christmas

# Is the glory of Christ

# And the glory of Christmas

# Is the story of his love

# Oh, the glory of Christmas is...

# The story of...

# His love

# The story of his love. #

Now, what does a seventh-century saint from Devon have to do

with one of these?

Well, before I headed north to Lapland, I went to Crediton

in Devon to find out.

'The Christmas Tree Festival in Crediton Parish Church

'has grown in popularity through the years,

'with 74 on display this year, each with its own unique theme.'

My favourite trees here at the festival are the ones that

the children have made, and I especially like this one,

which is based on my favourite kids' book, The Hungry Caterpillar.

I love it. It's absolutely gorgeous.

Look at the yoghurt-pot cupcakes, and, instead of tinsel, you've

got a string of sausages made out of the inside of toilet-roll tubes.

And a beautiful butterfly right at the top. It's gorgeous.

Stella, how many years has the festival been going?

It's been going about 11 years now.

It's absolutely amazing, and it's just grown every year.

But we can't really get any more trees in now!

THEY LAUGH I love that!

You've had to limit the number of trees that you're allowed in church!

That's fantastic!

And what happens to the trees once the festival's all over?

The trees are actually sold so that

people can take them home for Christmas.

'What's amazing is that the origins of this most Christmassy of

'traditions began with a saint from right here in Devon.'

St Boniface was born here in Crediton,

but he didn't stay here for very long.

He went to school in the monastery in Exeter,

and then he became a monk himself.

He had a real passion to go over

to what we now call Germany and Holland

and to share the Christian gospel

and also to help re-establish the church there.

So what's Boniface got to do with Christmas trees, then?

Well, one of the best known incidents in St Boniface's life

was where he cut down a sacred oak tree

which would've been a place of worship for the pagan tribes

but he wanted to try and establish the Christian faith there

and the people thought that if he cut down the tree,

he would be struck down by the spirits.

But he wasn't and a number of people were converted to Christianity.

But out of the roots of that old tree, a small fir tree grew up,

and that was said to be the first Christmas tree.

I'm not a huge tinsel fan but that is amazing.

It's so blingy and sparkly,

it's like the Las Vegas of Christmas trees.

It's brilliant.

Have you got your eye on one?

Ooh, I'd quite like the big one up on the altar but...

Have you got a house big enough for that tree?!

-No, I'm in a bungalow.

-THEY LAUGH

You better take that little one there then.

Yeah, that's about my size.

I mean, it really brings the community together.

Oh, it totally does.

There's just nothing better than a Christmas tree festival

but what a place to have it, in St Boniface's birthplace.

These beautiful trees have inspired me to get on

and decorate my own tree at home.

Before I go, I'm going to make my own contribution

to the decorations here.

The children on this special trip have all faced serious illness,

meaning life has been far from normal.

Amelia has cancer and she and her dad are enjoying time away

from the stresses at home.

It's really good.

The reindeers were really fun

and I liked having a ride on the sled as well.

Oh, he likes you.

'To be honest, it hasn't been great,

'the year and a half or so that's gone,

'a lot of days in hospital,'

but to come here and have a fantastic time like this,

it is so uplifting

and just gives us something to look forward to recently.

I'm so thankful to the charity for putting it on.

I mean, as Christians,

we're so aware of people being praying for us,

supporting us at church, at work, and, you know,

life is full of uncertainty, you can't avoid that,

but at least with prayer and support,

we've been able to get through this difficult time.

And days like this just make it incredible, don't they? Wonderful.

And an early sunset means the chance to enjoy some amazing fireworks.

And I'm catching up with Molly and her mum Fiona.

It's been amazing.

I didn't expect it to be this magical and so big

and Molly certainly didn't expect it to be like this.

I know, when I spoke to her before we came,

I don't think she had any idea how it was going to be.

And how different will this Christmas be

from previous Christmases?

It will be much more relaxing this year because she's well

and, yeah, we'll just all be together,

we've got lots of presents, it's more organised.

Last year, we just bought anything and put it under the tree,

just to do what you're supposed to do

and didn't put a lot of thought into it like we have this year.

And, yeah, all be together, just like the true spirit of Christmas.

Being together with our families is incredibly special

at this time of year.

In fact, it's one of the joys of Christmas,

but our next song is dedicated

to those who won't be home for Christmas,

including those in the armed services.

Here, with an adaptation of a well-known tune

and some specially written words, are the Military Wives Choir.

# Home for Christmas

# We should be

# Home with friends and family

# Pray for those both near and far

# Pray for them where'er they are

# Let their courage shine on through

# Show their pride for all they do

# Home for Christmas, you should be

# Home for Christmas here with me

# Bring us peace and bring us love

# Bring us hope from heaven above

# The only present that I need

# Is your presence here with me

# So come on home, we need you near

# Come on home, we want you here

# Home for Christmas, you should be

# Home for Christmas here with me

# Hear the bells are ringing

# You're in our prayers and in our hearts

# So raise a glass and raise a cheer

# For our loved ones we hold dear

# Hark the herald angels sing

# Glory to the newborn king

# Home for Christmas, you should be

# Home for Christmas here with me. #

It's been an incredibly special day for us all here in Lapland,

with many memories to treasure.

Next week, we've Somerset carols by candlelight,

as David Grant visits the medieval town of Dunster.

And we end today with our final Christmas carol

to cheer us on our way so from beautiful Lapland, farewell.