Ministers Letter
NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2017
From the Manse
Dear Friends,
Into December, and Advent has already begun! Our Advent calendars counting down the days, and diaries filling up!
There are lots of new things in my diary this year, as you will have guessed, including visits to Santa’s Grotto, school Christmas lunch, the Christmas disco and the Nativity play - I can’t avoid the fact that Advent and Christmas have changed and we are getting excited.
“Joy to the world, the Lord IS come
“Joy to the world, the Saviour REIGNS!
“He RULES the world with truth and grace”
There is no future tense there, our Lord Jesus Christ is come, reigns now and rules now.
So while we still come with joy and wonder to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child, Advent reminds us that he has come, he is here and will come again. And as time passes our faith deepens and becomes enriched as we contemplate the words that tell this story and carry God’s message to us, never leaving us unchanged.
At this time of preparation and joyous celebration let us also pay heed to those for whom the twinkling lights and merry songs are a source of darkness and gloom. Our brothers and sisters who struggle at this time with grief, with depression, or illness. At a time when the winter solstice makes days shorter and darker they need especially, as do we all, the comfort, healing and hope of Christ. As we go forward towards this Christmas season May you be filled with the wonder of Mary, the obedience of Joseph, the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the determination of the Magi, and the peace of the Christ Child.
Your minister and friend,
Hugh
AN ADVENT PRAYER
The Advent story of hope and mystery, anticipation, preparation,a kingdom of this world and the next, and a king appearing when we least expect.
Heaven touching earth, the footsteps of the divine walking dusty roads as once they did in Eden, and a people, searching for a Saviour, and walking past the stable.
Open eyes and hearts,that this might be an Advent of hope to the world.