December Message

DECEMBER MESSAGE

Advent and Christmas

Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;

Heav’n and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.

In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed

The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ

During the month of December our churches will be going through the season of Advent, a time when we think about two things. We are, of course, preparing for Christmas when our loving God came down to this earth and was born as a baby and laid in a manger in a stable by an inn. But we also look forward to a time when Jesus will return at his second coming and the Kingdom of God will be established.

December can be a busy time for all of us as we get ready for Christmas in our homes and if we are not careful we can lose sight of what it is we are celebrating. There are various carol services, crib services and nativities in all our churches plus a couple of carol concerts. Why not join us at one of these to be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas.

Our God became a man, To save a fallen world from sin;

To deal with all our guilt within, Our God became a man.

He died to set us free, They broke his body on the tree,

And that is why, for you and me, Our God became a man

And once we realise what God has done for us how should we respond to the great love that he has shown to each one of us?

What can I give him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a wise man, I would do my part,

Yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

Brian Turner … Churchwarden St Mary’s Knockin.

Words at the beginning and end are from the Christmas Carol “In the bleak midwinter” by

Christina Georgina Rosetti (1830-1894)

Words in the middle are taken from the Christmas Carol “When God became a man” by

Brian Turner … written in 1993