Last year I wrote as the curate in the Benefice and am now pleased to be writing this December letter as the New Rector of the Barrow Benefice. I wonder if like me you are thinking how quickly this year has gone and we are here at the beginning of Advent Looking forward to Christmas.
The season of Advent and the approach to Christmas, are a powerful reminder that, love, joy, peace, and hope shimmers all around us. In the churches across the benefice, we will be lighting candles each Sunday representing hope, love joy and peace and we look forward again to hearing the most beautiful story.
That ‘beautiful story’ tells of a Creator who sent his son to be born as a helpless baby, to grow up as a man of extraordinary wisdom, gentleness, and love, who gave up his life for us. His followers – who today number about two billion people all over the world – believe that He rose from the dead, and that by his death and resurrection he has made possible forgiveness and eternal life for people everywhere. That is certainly quite a story, perhaps the greatest story ever told, and yes, beautiful. And that is the story that will be told again this Christmas, in children’s Nativities, in hymns and carols and in bible readings. This is a story of hope, of love and of heaven touching earth.
One of the best-known statues in the world is ‘Christ the Redeemer,’ towering over the South American city of Rio de Janeiro, His arms outstretched in blessing. Christmas celebrates the birth of that great Redeemer – a tiny baby laid in a feeding trough. God entered the world he created, in the fallen complicated mess we have made of it to bring peace on earth. One of my favourite stories I love to read at Christmas is ‘Jed and Roy McCoy,’ A story of two shepherds, they were brothers and constantly arguing with each other about who looked after the sheep, who cooked the dinner… when an angel came to see them and told them of an amazing birth in Bethlehem.
The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people …’ Luke 2.10-11
They found the baby lying in a feeding trough and from that day on they stopped their arguing, they had found peace in that tiny baby.
Jesus’ birth changed history, his life transformed our understanding of what it means to be human. I warmly invite you to come to one of the benefice services this Christmas. Carols by Candlelight, the crib services, and the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations and hear again the ‘Beautiful Story.’
When Love came down to earth what love, what hope,
what peace, what Joy has come to us.
May you have a blessed Christmas filled with love, joy, peace, and hope.
Blessings
Revd Nicola
