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Showing posts from December, 2013

Just like us

Another from Helen I am always impressed by the work of Sunday school teachers. They not only spend time with children but they answer the most difficult questions of all about God.  One Sunday school teacher on a Sunday just like this straight after Christmas decided to continue the theme and ask the children to draw a picture concerning Christmas. She saw lots of pictures of mangers, shepherds some wise men and then a picture of an aeroplane. She was a little perplexed and so asked why a child had drawn a plane. The answer was, ‘this is a picture of the flight into Egypt.’ Obviously a child who had paid attention to the gospel reading this morning which tells of  a traumatic and dramatic escape to Egypt for Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. When I was training to be a priest I worked in the princess of  Wales  hospital as an assistant Chaplain. The lead chaplain felt that it would be good for me to go to the maternity ward in case there was something which may  be of embarrassmen

Christmas Velveteen Rabbit

One from Helen Today is one of the biggest celebrations of the Christian Calendar.  It is the day of course when we remember that Jesus came to us. The day we remember God caring so much for us, He would step down from Heaven to bring us new life. In our readings this morning we have heard of the good news. In the reading from Isaiah we heard that a special child unlike any other had been born who was a wonderful counsellor, a prince of peace and not just that but  God !  This is incredible, God has come amongst us and remains with us we have seen His salvation, His glory. We know that this little  baby  born  in the roughest of surroundings is God !  God with us.  Any  why ?   because  He loves us. I often think that I could have been a good Children’s television presenter, as I love stories.  This morning I want to tell you a story, I want us to step back into our childhood and wonder at God and His love for us, as we celebrate Him coming to Earth as one of us. I am sure yo

Christmas 2013 Midnight

T he author Gervaise Phinn tells the  story of a Vicar speaking one day at a school.  ‘This is a very special time of year children’, he said jovially, addressing the infants who stared up at him with open mouths. ‘Can anyone tell me what it is?’ ‘Chris tmas’, volunteered a small  boy, who began waving his hand in the air like a daffodil in a strong wind. ‘It’s Christmas.’ ‘It is indeed’ agreed the Vicar. ‘It’s Christmas, a very special time of year.’ ‘I’m gerrin a bike’, the boy told him. ‘I’m gerrin a doll that can wet ‘er nappies an’ talk’, added a girl with a round face and hair in untidy bunches. This was the signal for all the children to shout out what presents they were hoping to receive from Father Christmas. ‘I’m gerrin a remote control car’ ‘I’m gerrin a train set’ ‘ I’m gerrin a…’ ‘Children, children’, exclaimed the Vicar, raising a hand like a crossing patrol warden stopping cars. ‘Christmas is not just about presents you know. It’s really a celebration of a bir

Don't forget Joseph ! Advent 4 year A

Today we ’ ve reached the last Sunday in Advent  –  more than ever the conflict between the advent period kept in the Church calendar and the joy of Christmas is highlighted. We have probably all sung carols, put up decorations, sent and received cards and maybe even gifts. Decorations are up in Churches throughout the country, but yet in the Church calendar we are still waiting. The distinctions between Advent and Christmas, though huge, are complicated, and there are many misunderstandings ! One night a lady went out carol singing. There was a major problem in that she had an awful voice. She knocked on the door of a house and began to sing. A man with a violin in his hand came to the door. Within half a minute tears were streaming down his face ! Without asking, the lady went on singing for another 10 minutes, singing verses from every carol she knew, and some she didn ’ t ! At last, as the man ’ s crying got even worse she stopped.  ‘ I understand ’  she said softly,  ‘ Yo
King James I once became annoyed with a preacher and shouted up to the pulpit, ‘Either make sense, or come down from the pulpit !’ The preacher calmly replied, ‘I will do neither’. Beginning in a new church in Advent is  not the easiest thing to do, because in many ways, the church concept of advent very often doesn’t seem to make sense in a world where so many other things are going on which seem to conflict with it ! In the church calendar we think of a time of preparation and reflection as we prepare to celebrate Christmas and we recognise the reason for Christ’s coming into the world. It can be in some ways a sombre time as we just try to clear away the things in our lives that are distracting us in our journey of faith – and yet amidst all of these serious considerations we have the carol services and parties, the Christmas songs and shopping. And so it can be for the church and for us all a rather strange time – but actually this balance of reflection in the middle of li