A birthday is a time for giving. We take, or send, presents to the person whose special day it is. However, if we’re honest, we already realise that the person we are giving the present to is far more precious, a far greater gift, than the item we have spent so much time carefully wrapping in coloured paper and tinsel. By offering a present, we’re actually expressing how much we value the gift of LIFE, whether that be the life of a pure, new-born child or a life full of years and shared memories.And so it is with Christmas. Life in Jesus has come into the world. Life of the Saviour has come FOR the world. Life in all its fullness has arrived in the form of a tiny child. The wonder of Christmas is that all of that can be held in a young mother’s arms.On Christmas Day we worship this baby, with our presents of love, time, talents, dedication and commitment. We reflect upon what we can do better to serve our neighbours and live a Christ-centred life. These are our gifts, the best we can offer, and God honours them because they are offered in love.But just look at what we receive from him! Free and full salvation, the fruit of his Spirit, love, joy, peace… and LIFE - real, everlasting life! God in his magnificent humility has tipped the scales heavily in our favour! It’s generosity on a divine scale and it increases the more we put God’s gifts to work in our own lives.Christmas is, of course, a time for giving, but let’s not forget who gave the most and who continues to give, even when we move on from Christmas and slip back into our own obsessions. Perhaps, what we need to do more than anything this Christmas, is pray for grace to give God the best Christmas present we can offer, our lives in his service.Happy Christmas one and all!Christian
Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray. Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.‘O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.’ (Psalm 96:1-2)Hymn: Once in Royal David’s city...Titus 3:4-7The sun of righteousness has dawned with healing in his wings. Let us come to the light of Christ, confessing our sins in penitence and faith:Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for the day: Lord Jesus Christ, your birth at Bethlehem draws us to kneel in wonder at heaven touching earth: accept our heartfelt praise as we worship you, our Saviour and our eternal God. Amen.Luke 2:1-20Please see the Christmas Message from the Minister.Let us join in prayer, asking for the light of the Lord to be known to everyone:We pray for the Church throughout the world, that people will be drawn together by the love of our Lord, and that this season of Christmas will be a special time for all;We pray for our planet, that the Earth and all of its creatures will thrive, and that all people will work together in peace;We pray for our friends, families and neighbours - may we all share the love of Christ and build relationships;We pray for people who are sick or suffering, especially for those on our hearts and minds today, that they will know our Lord’s healing presence;We pray for the departed, remembering all who mourn.Let us pray for the coming of God’s kingdom in the prayer that Jesus taught Peter and all of us: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.Hymn: Away in a Manger...May Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon us, scatter the darkness from before our path, and make us ready to meet him when he comes in glory; and may the blessing of God Almighty who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us and remain with us always.Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.
I wish you every blessing for Christmas.One of the great mysteries of the Midnight Service is that we always hear John’s account of the Incarnation of Jesus. Now I don’t know about you but getting my mind around such things when we start a service on Christmas Eve and finish on Christmas Day stretches my mind to the point where all I want to do is curl up and go to sleep. So for those of us feeling a little tired let us put things into simple terms. Just over 2,000 years ago a baby was born in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph. They had had to travel to Bethlehem because a census had been ordered, as Mary was exceedingly pregnant and the last 25 miles had been up a very steep hill all the accommodation had been taken so they ended up in a stable where she gave birth. They didn’t have a cradle so the baby was put in a manger.Their first visitors were shepherds who told them that they had been visited by angels who told them of the birth of the Messiah and the Angels had sung a hymn of praise. It was amazing that Jesus’ first visitors were shepherds, who lived on the edge of society and were rated by the Jewish leaders to be 3rd, 4th or even 5th class in society and yet God had spoken to them not to the leaders of their day. What a great privilege that God accepted those on the periphery of society to be the first to worship the Christ Child.In this fact alone this is not just good news but great news, because whoever you are you are welcome to join us in worshipping Jesus, the Son of God.To all of you I wish every blessing on this Christmas Night.God bless,Andrew SSL
In the Old Testament, Jerusalem and its Temple were fought over, endlessly; the Temple building was completed and destroyed three times, and the Wailing Wall, which is often shown on the television, is all that remains of the third iteration built by King Herod in the decades before the birth of Jesus.Building the Temple was always controversial; the discussion was always about where God was to be found. Some people found the need for a geographic place on which to focus their faith. Others did not need such a building in order to live the life of faith. This discussion was often the subject of comment in the New Testament.The story of Mary the mother of Jesus, the same unresolved controversy of where God can be found is clearly in the background.In Luke’s Gospel, as the Angel Gabriel presents the surprising News of a pregnancy, God is to be found firmly in a Womb. In faith, Mary will find God within herself. Tomorrow, in faith, we will celebrate the birth of God with us; God in human form; God in our neighbour; God in Love. God in the love I share with the people around me.God on the cross of life.God in resurrection to be found in a new way of living life.In the age old discussion of where God is to be found, our Christian Faith tells us that irrespective of a Church building, God is to be found with us and within us.This is the good news of Jesus; God is with us. As St Paul wrote in conclusion of his letter to the Romans: to Jesus Christ “be the glory for ever”.Let’s say Amen!!! to that. And a Blessed Christmas to us all as we continue our search to find God in our lives. He is nearer to us than when we first believed.The Revd Malcolm France
