Skip to main content

Message from the Link

Dear Friends

Once again we will be rehearsing the Christmas Story, we shall be remembering a troubled land, remembering how occupying forces demanded a census for tax purposes.  And once more there is conflict in Israel and Gaza.  The 'Holy Land' once again seems to be less than Holy and more about political and military power struggles.

Somehow it begs the question, 'Does anything ever change?' And then, we remember the Christmas Story, of how God became human in Jesus - quietly, almost unnoticed by many, born as he was, in a stable bare.  And with his birth the world changed.  Without huge fanfare, unless you could hear the choirs of angels.  without grand gesture but with the fragility and love of a new born child to a family, and with that intimacy of relationship we see so often on our Christmas Cards of the Holy family gathered there together.

Here is perhaps the greatest hint we have that things can change, even nations can change, but it starts, it begins with relationships being built and bonded in love.  this should, of course, not surprise us, because we believe in One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit - a community, a tightly bonded family whose love for the world, whose love for us is so great it is beyond measure.

Sometimes, I get told off by my mum for not saying much when I visit.  But then we do speak, and we realise that we were thinking the same thing and end up finishing each others sentences.  sometimes we then find ourselves laughing because we realise that words are not always necessary.  Yet Christmas is a time when words and gestures, and cards and gifts are so important, for they say in ways that words sometimes cannot, that our love, one for another, is great and strong and sometimes at its deepest in the silences that pass between us.

In amongst all the preparations we do for Christmas, at its heart there is a simplicity which we ignore at our period.  May prayer is that in our churches, in our families, with our friends and neighbours, we shall make space for those holy silences to pass between us, and in them give thanks to God for the deep expression of his love towards us that came as a child, born in the night.  This Christmas may Holy Communities be born as God's love is celebrated and shared.

Every blessing
Ian

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Circuit Talents Challenge

"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money ..." Matthew 25:14-30 Why don't you take up the Circuit Talents Challenge by taking a £5 note and making it grow for the Circuit? More details ...

The wind among the trees

I sat among the trees once. And a wind was blowing. Quite a strong wind; I could hear it in the trees –   rushing, rushing. A lovely sound, soothing to my ears. I stopped what I was writing and began to listen. I remembered that Jesus said that the Holy Spirit was like   the wind. You could hear it; see its effect. But you couldn’t see the wind itself. You couldn’t see   where it was coming from, nor going to. And I wondered, “Are you showing me something about your Spirit, Lord?” So I sat, and I listened, and I watched. They were big, old trees where I sat. Tall they were, in an ancient wood, well-branched,  shapely. Beech, grey bark against the clear blue of the sky. And leaves: they were leaves that knew the wind;   leaves that let the wind know them. They looked, like beach leaves look in a wind: full of life –   and with a certain beauty all their own. I watched the great crowns of those great trees. I watched the branches sway and the ...

For such times as these! - A good news story from Windhill!

For such times as these! (Esther 14:14) On June 1st James Stannet (from e:merge , a Christian Youth organisation) began his youth work for Christchurch LEP in Windhill. He says, "Well! June has been a really busy but very productive month. On Wednesday, in the park, numbers are climbing week by week, now averaging 25. Good partnerships have been made with local organisations. this has been a blessing: enabling us to deliver varied sport activities and build good relationships.' 'The Hope Revolution, youth event, based at Christchurch LEP was a massive hit. A BIG Thank you is expressed to the Church for the support, encouragement and prayers. 200 people attended the Fun Day. Despite the rainy weather, 100 young people took part in local projects: two house clear-ups, school garden project (Windhill Primary) and running the Fun Day. 10 Christian Organisations working together resulting in several families requesting Christian children's activities.' ...