From the Ministry Team I have always thought January a rather disappointing month. We have the greeting of the new year then we collapse into what is usually the worst of the winter weather, cold and depressing. Yet it needs not to be so, for we have just had the joy of Christmas and the Epiphany is upon us with Scholars from the East paying homage to the Christ child showing us how God intended his gift of salvation to reach out all across the world that each of us might find salvation if we have the faith and courage to grasp it. Salvation does not lie in this in this world, and it is folly to look for it here. Salvation lies in the next world, with the forgiveness only God can give. A total forgiveness which like the love of God is far greater than any worldly love. As we enter a new year we must have hope for the future, but above all we must have faith, for faith is the key to salvation. Minnie Louise Haskins wrote ‘I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year ~ Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown - and he replied “ Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way”’ Therefore, let us reach out to the world beyond our own beautiful countryside seeking a new beginning both in our thoughts and prayers. Rev Bill Rootes, Deacon
FROM THE MINISTRY TEAM ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ Sunday morning 1st December 1984, a bunch of young spotty English pop stars who were more or less just out of school and had taken over the pop culture of the world, ambled up a Ladbroke Grove street in London to record a song their friends had written for the starving people of Ethiopia which was considered to be a Biblical famine in the 20th century. We saw the harrowing pictures of dying children and adults daily on our news channels. They could never have understood the enormous consequences of that day but it became, however unwittingly, “the shout that rang around the world”. These were some of Sir Bob Geldof’s (Band Aid Trust) words recently heralding the fortieth anniversary of the song and a programme using unseen footage being made to celebrate their success which will be available to view from the 25th November. Sir Bob co-wrote the song with Midge Ure from the band Ultravox. He also said that Sunday was like a family day out, some of them brought their babies along and it was a fun day. Deprivation on our TV screens, internet facilities and newspapers usually mean those people starving and dying are not responsible, it is those in governments and power who cannot or will not agree to living peacefully. We have heard so much in the last three years, and longer, of war leading to all possible deprivations - we see death, injury, starvation and absolute hatred of fellow men in so many countries such as Ukraine, Russia, Lebanon, Yemen, Israel and Gaza to name but a few. As we approach Christmas 2024 we search for peace and goodwill - we can only do our part as we wait for the birth of Jesus by praying for peace and reconciliation and giving to Charities which give their all in extremely dangerous places. While we can enjoy our festivities we must spare time to not only reflect but to look forward with the love of God with us all the way by our sides and those all over the world. Those with so much hatred in so many hearts we have to ask “Do They Know It’s Christmas Time At All?” A few words from Isaiah 9: v2 ‘The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. They lived in a land of darkness but now light is shining on them’ Hazel Chittock, Lay Elder