December 2013

Lessons, carols, a superb choir and fresh potica flown in from Kranjska Gora featured in the annual British-Slovene Society Christmas Service at St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe Church in the City of London on 13^th December.

Participants read the traditional lessons from the Bible telling the Christmas story in Slovene and English. A packed congregation – there was hardly a seat to spare – heartily sang favourite carols in both languages.

The Gallus choir again led way, their soaring tones inspiring the faithful to sing forth at full throat.

For the first time, children from British-Slovene families in the UK performed some of the readings.

Afterwards, all stayed to toast each other with Slovene wine kindly offered by the Slovenian Embassy. Keith and Slava Miles, who organised the service, flew back 15 loaves of potica in their luggage from Slovenia. All were gone by the time people wended their way out into the London night.

Conducting the service was the Reverend Guy Treweek, who once more kindly made the Wren Church of St Andrew’s-by-the-Wardrobe available for one of the highlights of the British-Slovene season.

Photos by Janez Strah and Evelina Ferrar

Janez Strah is a photographer who learned about Skupnost Barka through the British-Slovene Society, which has been supporting the charity over a number of years. Every year he visits the group at the beginning of December and brings along St. Nicholas, an angel and presents for everybody. Barka is a community of people with special needs in Slovenia.

Here is a letter we received from Barka describing the evening with singing and distributing of gifts:

Na predvečer praznika svetega Miklavža smo v skupnosti Barka gostili samega Miklavža. Pripeljal se je v spremstvu angela pomočnika, mladih kitaristk in pevcev. Nestrpno smo v večernem mraku člani skupnosti v jedilnici čakali na starega moža. Prišel je počasi, se naslanjal na svojo palico in nas vse pozdravil. V rokah je nosil Zlato knjigo. Koliko lepih stvari je bilo zapisanih v njej. Da ima naša Irena zelo rada svojega nečaka Gregorja, da Kristina z veseljem pomaga pri kuhanju, da Tanja natančno in lepo šiva,.. Nekaj nas je od Miklavža dobilo tudi prijazen opomin ali spodbudo: Rok lahko malo več telovadi, Lucija naj pove, kaj ji je zares všeč,…

Miklavž nas je vse razveselil z darilci. Spomnil se je tudi naših kuharjev, prostovoljcev v obeh hišah in otrok. Med obdarovanjem smo večkrat zapeli in – ne boste verjeli – kitaro je v roke vzel in nanjo zabrenkal celo sveti Miklavž!

Rok je dobremu možu narisal sliko in se z njim fotografiral, vsi pa smo se pogostili s piškoti, sokom in mandarinami.

Upamo, da nas bo drugo leto sveti Miklavž spet obiskal, ker smo skupaj preživeli en lep večer.

Mateja Tomšič de Zarate

skupnost Barka