It's a very Posada Christmas

22 December 2006

For the past three weeks, people all over the UK have been celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Mexican way. Yes, from Barford to Sheffield, figures of Mary and Joseph have made their way into homes, shops and community centers as part of Church Army's POSADA initiative.

POSADA is a Spanish word that means 'inn' and it is a very special Mexican celebration of Christmas where two young people dress as Mary and Joseph and travel from house to house in their village, requesting shelter in anticipation of the arrival of Jesus. This usually culminates with a community play and celebrations on Christmas Eve.

Church Army's updated version of POSADA gives people the chance to revive an old Mexican tradition and give a home to the nativity figures of Mary and Joseph in the run up to Christmas. Since the beginning of Advent on 3 Dec, many people have subscribed to the POSADA idea and taken the nativity figures around their parish, work place or community.

In Barford, Ann Tomalin crafted the nativity figures using recycled material including tights, plastic bottles and left-over fabrics. She took Mary and Joseph around individual homes in Barford, visiting primary schools, spending a day in the post office and at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital with a local nurse.

Churchgoers in Peterborough provided accommodation to Mary and Joseph for the night in the run-up to Christmas while the Barnham Broom Posada saw the figures of Mary and Joseph traveling by train to the annual Mid Norfolk Carol Service. The project was organised by Roger and Julie Walpole and the Rev Rachel Jackson, an ordained local minister.

In the parish of St Anne's, Bagshot, Sunday school children took Mary and Joseph with them as they visited homes, encouraging people to make room for Jesus at this special time. Sunday school leaders Margaret Skates and Alison Jones said they hoped the visiting figures would encourage families to talk about the true meaning of Christmas.

In Sheffield, Church Army evangelist Kinder Kalsi (pictured left) gave Langsett an early Christmas when he rallied round local businesses and dressed up in Mexican attire handing out tortillas and sweets to help people discover the true meaning of Christmas.  In Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, Mary and Joseph spent some time with Margaret, the church warden at Christchurch before doing the rounds in the town centre.

And in Guernsey, Mary and Joseph traveled around the town visiting different homes, local school and shops. Melissa Guile who organised the local Posada for Guernsey said in the Guernsey Press & Star: "My purpose for organising this local Posada was to enable each host to stop for a moment to think about the first Christmas and the birth of Jesus."

Church Army has set up a special website for POSADA at www.churcharmy.org.uk/posada where people can send in their photographs of the nativity figures making their journey in unusual setting, and there is even an online diary to record where Mary and Joseph are travelling to - the local pub, gym, post office or school. A prize is offered for the most unusual journey location.

The images of the POSADA nativity figures above have been reproduced here courtesy The Guernsey Press Co. Ltd.