Remember the true meaning

Shepherd’s Walk taking place at Liverpool churches

LIVERPOOL, N.S. — The month of December is one of the busiest times of the year.

There are many presents to buy and parties and concerts to attend. It’s one of the busiest times of the year for retailers too, with most of their annual sales coming in the month of December.

At this time of year it’s easy to lose sight of the real meaning of the season - namely, the birth of Jesus. Why not take some time out from the busyness of the season by joining all of the churches in the Liverpool area for the seventh annual Shepherd’s Walk? This walk encourages participants to stop and reflect on the true meaning of the season.

The Shepherd’s Walk is a Liverpool and area tradition that started in 2013 at the suggestion of Fr. Keith Billard, former priest at St. Gregory’s Roman Catholic Church in Liverpool. Prior to coming to Liverpool, Billard served as the parish priest at the Roman Catholic Church in Digby. The churches in that area held a similar walk every year in December, and Billard thought it might be a good idea to have a similar walk in Liverpool. He presented this idea to the members of the local clergy, and as the old saying goes, the rest is history.

This year’s walk will be held on Friday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. The walk will begin at St. Gregory’s Roman Catholic Church and proceed, in turn, to each of the local churches. At each church there will be a brief service consisting of a Scripture reading, a hymn and a prayer. As the people walk from one church to another they will sing appropriate hymns. Refreshments will be served following the walk. Everyone is welcome.

Come and join the people, clergy and churches of Liverpool and area as we celebrate the reason for the season!

CRAIG CONDON

SOUTH SHORE BREAKER