Skip to main content

A Christmas message from our Lay Pastoral Visitor and Co-ordinator

Image
By
Dear Friends,                                    
Joyeux Noel!

A favourite group of mine is the Carnival Band with Maddy Prior. They have a song called ‘Stuff’. Some of the words are:-

Christmas time is here again,
Time for family, time for friends,
Time for church bells, time for snow,
Tinsel, robins, firelight glow,
There is time, but not enough –
To get ourselves a load of stuff.

The song goes on to parody our greed at Christmas. 

During my Local Preacher training, we were introduced to the Charles Wesley’s Hymn (H & P 109) Let Earth & Heaven Combine. The last two lines in the first verse are:-

Our God contracted to a span,
 incomprehensibly made man.

For me, this had a profound effect in my walk with the Lord. The fact that our God was reduced to a hand span (you can hold a baby in the span of your hand) and that we cannot comprehend why he did this. Yet he did this because he LOVES us. He gave his Son to be born and die for everyone.
As Christians, how do we see this season of Advent and Christmas?  Advent (Lat. adventus, “coming, arrival) is the time of year when we prepare for the arrival of the Christ Child. But how do we prepare for this? This preparation can take many forms. It often involves the infamous School Nativity Play, or is our Christmas tree better than our neighbours?  Or as Christians, do we feel superior to the worldliness of Advent and Christmas?  I wonder what kind of picture of Jesus we present, not just in our churches but as individual Christians.

We see many nativity scenes presented to us. A very wise minister once asked our church, What is your Image of Jesus? Is it the baby in the manger? Then, over the years, has your image of Jesus changed? If it has not, then you are not maturing in the faith. Jesus changed from a baby to a man who died on the cross in pain for YOU. If we are growing in faith, then Jesus must grow with us. In this Advent season, I urge everyone to examine themselves and see where we are with Jesus.
We have a wonderful opportunity at this time of year to share Jesus with the world, both as Churches and Individuals.  H&P 465 says:-

 We have a gospel to proclaim,
 Good news for all throughout the earth.

In this time of the year, let us spread the word ‘The Christ has come’, wherever we are.

A very Happy Christmas to everyone.

John Wilson

Lay Pastoral Visitor and Co-ordinator

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Godly Ways 8-10 March 2013

By
Godly Ways CODEC  and the  Dales Biblical Literacy Project  present: A weekend of Worship – Teaching – Workshops. WHEN : March 8th to 10th 2013 (Starts Friday evening) WHERE : Elm Ridge Methodist Church and Bondgate Methodist Church, Darlington and Ingleton Methodist Church SPEAKERS: Revd. Professor David Wilkinson  is a Methodist minister and Principal of St. John’s College, Durham. Well-known as a writer, speaker and broadcaster, David has wide-ranging interests, although he is especially concerned about science and religion. Revd. Dr. Peter Phillips  is a Methodist minister and Director of Codec, a research centre housed at St. John’s College, Durham. For many years, Pete served on the staff of Cliff College. He has a great interest in the New Testament and in communicating the faith in a digital age. Revd. Ron Willoughby  is an ordained minister with the Southern Baptist Convention in the United States, now living in this cou...
Post a Comment
Read more

HOPE Together & HOPE Revolution

By
Dear friends, You are personally invited to attend an exciting evening at  Bradford Academy  that we hope will bring people together from Bradford and Leeds to see how further  Unity, Prayerful Worship and Missional Transformation  can develop between the two cities. Back in July 2012, we saw over 50 young people, 12 leaders and several churches from across Bradford and Leeds join together in a 2 day pilot mission. We partnered with a local church in Bradford to share and witness to Christ's love in word and deed. In addition to this, we included young people in the conversation of ways in which to help connect both cities in the future. There are many people interested in exploring the potential of developing something on a larger scale, culminating in a week of mission across the two cities in 2014.   Your attendances and input will help shape the way forward: We would like to invite you to an exciting evening of information about HOPE Together and the y...
Post a Comment
Read more

Welcome Service for Rev Clare Davison 30 November 2013

By
There will be a Service of Welcome for the new Minister, Rev Clare Davison on Saturday 30 November 2013 at 4pm at Little Lane Church . A tea will be served immediately following the service.  This is likely to be along the lines of a similar meal we held recently with hot meat sandwiches and buffet.  For catering purposes will you please let us know if you would like to join us for the meal.  Email:   secretary@littlelanechurch.org.uk
Post a Comment
Read more