Dear Friends,
I do love Christmas. What would Christmas be without the cards, the carols, the mince pies and the festive bonhomie?
It’s all fine in itself, but for the world at large, it’s as if the real meaning of the angels, the shepherds, the wise men and the baby born in the stable has somehow been lost in
the midst of something, well, vacuous.
Every Christmas in church we hear again the familiar story of the Birth of Jesus. An extraordinary birth to an ordinary mother and father, in humble surroundings and in an ordinary village in Judea. Yet, the birth of Jesus is a momentous event for all humanity. Jesus’s life, his ministry, death and resurrection inspired in his followers a vibrant and transformative faith in the living God.
For Christian people, Christmas is truly about celebration and joy. It is not some transient jollification that is here for a few days and then forgotten, it is not about materialism either. Christmas is about celebrating and giving thanks for the most wonderful gift of all, the Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ, and that is something for which we must prepare ourselves spiritually.
In our December services, we shall travel together through Advent, preparing ourselves to receive Christ afresh into our hearts and minds and into every aspect of our lives as if for the first time, so we may truly know the joy of the Christmas celebration.
May the peace and joy of God's kingdom be with us all and with all those we love this coming Christmas.
With every good wish,
Revd. John Kronenberg
Extract from A View From St John's Winter 2024 Parish Magazine
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