PARISH OF EAST FARNWORTH & KEARSLEY.

DECEMBER 2013

Dear friends.

Christmas is coming and the Geese are getting fat and I suppose they and quite a few Turkeys are casting anxious glances over their shoulders as the season advances! But Geese and Turkeys are part of the secularisation of the Christmas Season and as I write this letter even before we enter the Advent Season it seems that Christmas is well and truly under way in the secular world. The local supermarkets and shops are already full of seasonal wares and it would be possible to celebrate Christmas tomorrow apart from three things, wrong time, wrong season, no Christ Child. As Christians we can seem a bit out of step with society as we follow our pre-determined path to the Christmas season.

I once wrote for a past Christmas letter that my favourite hymn is “The Church’s one foundation” The first verse being “ The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord, she is His new creation by water and the word, from heaven He came and sought her to be His Holy Bride, and with His love He bought her and for her life He died” There is a lot of theology in those few lines and it’s a summation of Jesus’ purpose and life, the beginning and the end in a few short sentences. As we move towards Christmas we prepare to celebrate the birth of the founder of our faith and I have always thought that it is of paramount importance that we celebrate that fact at Christmas and try to put aside if only for a little while the glitz and the gloss heaped upon us by society at large. I do not want to appear a “Kill joy” because I do enjoy Christmas time and all the fun and the love (And the presents!!) that goes with it I just like to reflect on exactly what it is we are celebrating at this time.

If all goes to plan we should be celebrating another event in our Parish this Christmas time as we welcome Revd, Karsten Wedgewood to the team. I am sure he will receive our usual warm welcome and support as he takes up his new position in our community.

So as we celebrate our Christmas Season with loved ones either at home or in our extended families in the Church or in workplaces lets try to spare a thought for those less fortunate than ourselves, the lonely, the recently bereaved, the sick, service personnel in foreign countries, those who will have to rely on food banks in the midst of Christmas plenty, those who we love but will be unable to see for whatever reason, those who work in hospitals and other vital areas and do our own little bit to ensure that the Christmas Season and it’s message reaches and is shared by all people everywhere.

I wish all of you a very Happy Christmas.

Phillip

Selfishness makes Christmas a burden, love makes it a delight.

Author unknown.