Clearly suffering the effect of too many nativity plays, I’ve been thinking today about tinsel and glitter. The tinsel on angels’ wings or worn as a halo. Glitter on hand-made crowns, or lovingly placed on the front of specially made cards. It’s all part of Christmas, at least if you’re five years old. And yet – at least if you’re a parent – it can be your worse nightmare. There’s the uncanny ability of tinsel to drop strands which last a lifetime on the carpet, or for those tiny bits of glitter to end up down the sofa or under the fridge. After four nativity plays at church already this week – and more to come – let’s just say we’re going to need to find the hoover! How......

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Did you take advantage of any Black Friday/Cyber Monday offers? It’s often a time when we can get hold of a few household items or Christmas presents at discounted prices which can be helpful. But it can also tap into our greed and selfishness. I am sure you will remember scenes on the news years ago of people fighting to get into department stalls, wrestling over toys and TVs. And then around 2011 ‘Giving Tuesday’ was born, almost as a counterbalance to the consumerism of the previous shopping days. However, Jesus had got there first. The Apostle Paul quotes Jesus, saying “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35). For the last month or so, we have been talking about ‘Blessed to be a blessing’ and......

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This Christmas we want to invite people to be generous. At our school events, Carols by candlelight services, and a few other gatherings we’ll be taking a collection towards two important Christmas causes. Internationally we’re looking to support the work of BREAD TRUST, who are working in Ukraine.  Since the war began earlier this year they’ve been responding to the present crisis with humanitarian support by providing food and hygiene parcels, clothing and bedding, seeking in-country accommodation for internally displaced people, and running soup kitchens. They work in partnership with local churches, The work of BREADtrust is based on partnership with local churches., based on long-term relationships and support for local leaders. Locally we are supporting the “Cost of Living Fund” which we set up recently here at Meole......

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“Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.” What a joy it was to read those words from Isaiah 40 this week at our Ministry Leaders’ prayers! Tempted as I was, I didn’t sing them but, as I read, I could hear Handel’s Messiah playing in my head and, with it, feel the excitement of Advent being close, and Christmas just round the corner. There’s lots to do, of course, before we get there. Lots of things to gather together! But, through it all, we have a wonderful story to tell, and the annual pageant around Christmas is something that our whole society joins in – buying, cooking, quaffing, singing. There was a lot of preparation that took place for the very first Christmas too. Prophets foretold Christ’s birth......

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We’re gearing up for our two “Carols by Candlelight” services, this year taking place on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th December at 7pm. After freezing conditions outdoors last year (thanks to COVID) we are looking forward to a warm welcome in more ways than one this year as hundreds of people respond to the “great invitation” of Christmas.  We’re looking for people to join in with our choir, and our orchestra. The choir of angels will be learning two lovely choir pieces, as well as joining in with everyone else with the main carols. And the orchestra is for people of all ages and all stages, and will be accompanying the congregation in the usual well known carols.  There are practices for both the choir and the orchestra coming......

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