On Sunday 14th December, BBC Radio Swindon’s Breakfast and Religious programme presenter Mark Jones, invited Rhona Jack to the studio to discuss where she gets her inspiration for her Christmas poems each year. She joined the conversation with Chris Stone, a Christian songwriter from Devizes and was on air between 8.45 and 9am.
Rhona used to work for HASBRO Toys, Bluebird Toys and Vivid Imaginations as Packaging Manager, and says ‘Toy companies make about half of their sales in Q4 each year. I saw a sharp contrast between the justifiable business focus and the real meaning of Christmas, which just seemed to get lost. So in 1991, I decided to make people stop and think.’ One of the poems talks about Jesus getting trampled in the rush by parents hoping to buy the latest, greatest Christmas toy that’s in short supply that year.'
Rhona adds ‘An annual Christmas poem has become something of a tradition. Each year, about a dozen people including my old French teacher and University Spanish teacher send cards in early December saying they eagerly await the next Christmas poem. So there is a real pressure to deliver!'
'I can''t rush it. I have to wait for the inspiration which I believe is God-given – then the words just flow onto the page. I do have to make a few corrections to polish it, but the story seems to unfold in paired verses. I may be holding the pen but don’t feel it’s me guiding the thoughts.’
Rhona sends the poems to family, friends and business associates with the Christmas card list growing each year as she continues to network for business opportunities. She feels it’s her way of standing up and being counted for what she believes in, but that it’s up to people to enquire about the well-documented historical facts and make up their own minds. She went on to say ‘If it’s getting close to Christmas and I try and write something myself, it’s pretty awful. I have learned it HAS to be inspired.’ Chris agreed with her sentiments about his music just seeming to flow when he felt inspired.
Mark quizzed them further, asking how people react. Rhona explained that in about 2% of cases people may react negatively to her poems, but she has found that this is usually part of their journey to discovering their own faith.
Mark invited Rhona to read the poem below and invited her back to the studio to share another poem next Easter.
BBC Radio Swindon has a listenership of about 75,000 as does BBC Radio Swindon. Rhona's poems have been read in churches across the country. Provided permission is sought and due credit is given, she is happy to let the work speak for itself to challenge people.
Rhona is Managing Director of Blue Click PR Ltd., a successful Business to Business PR agency established in 2000. She began her writing career at an early age and won a national writing competition aged 7 for a story based on the famous film ‘KES’ about a lonely child who befriended a bird of prey. Her business writing abilities have helped companies win national and global awards such as the Banking Technology awards in 2006. Rhona wrote four entries for clients Wincor Nixdorf in collaboration with their clients; HSBC and Barclays. One of the international judges, Dan Barnes from the Financial Times said 'To compete with 300+ entries from over 26 countries and deliver two wins and a Highly Commended reflects well on Blue Click PR, as well as their clients.’
Come to the King’s birthday
Come gather round the table
It’s finally Christmas Day
Set a place for Jesus
On Earth He came to stay.
And as we look around
The whole family’s gathered
We carry each other through
Thick & thin; storms are weathered.
Grandchildren’s smiling faces
As they play and laughter tinkles
There’s tinsel on the tree
And a star that surely twinkles.
The smell of roasted turkey
Wafts through cold December air
The silence in the streets
Families share their Christmas fayre.
The timeless story’s told
Of a Saviour laid on hay
As half the world remembers
A child born on Christmas Day.
Ten thousand stars are twinkling
In the sky the Father made
The mystery of creation
Is now focused on a Babe.
Born of a Virgin mother
‘Impossible’ some say
But not to Time’s inventor
Who speaks and has His way.
The world that he imagined
Had beauty that would stun
But now it has been ruined
By pollution and the gun!
Come gather round the altar
Don’t run from God today
Instead receive our Saviour
For He has shown the way.
The salvation that He offers
Crosses the great Divide
It wipes away our sin
An antidote to pride.
Remember as a child
In awe of stories told
Don’t lose that childlike faith
As a cynic you grow old.
Come to the King’s birthday
Empty handed to receive
The greatest present of all
A sinner’s hope and God’s reprieve.
© Nov 2008 Rhona Jack
-ends-
About Blue Click PR Ltd.
Based in Swindon, United Kingdom, Blue Click PR Ltd. is a specialist IT public relations agency which was set up in 2000. The team handles mainly business to business, trade and technical PR for clients along the M4 corridor from London to Bristol. They have achieved global success with press releases, television and online media coverage for clients, and have helped several clients win national and even global awards. The highlight was helping Wincor Nixdorf win two global awards and a Highly Commended with their two British banking clients.
Blue Click PR has an ability to help medium size organisations leverage their association with blue chip clients and has written numerous press releases and case studies approved by global organisations such as AXA, BT, Baxter Healthcare, Cable & Wireless, Cisco Systems, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, EDS, Greene King IPA, Homebase, Lloyds TSB, Microsoft, Nationwide Building Society, Tesco etc.
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