From Revd Tom Benson

Dear friends,

Well, here we are in December once again and once again I seem surprised by it. This year has been such a busy one for most of us and this time of year it is always good to take a moment or two just to pause and reflect on all that has happened. 

Our communities have of course welcomed new people into the fold as well as saying goodbye to some dearly loved friends. Formyself, I remember the weddings over the summer, the Timsbury bonfire was another memorable event when everyone came together. Not to forget the way that our churches looked at Harvest and thanks once again to all those people that helped with the preparation for that. Visiting the Primary Schools recently for their Harvest Festival presentations made me realise       I'm getting old and my own childrens’ schooldays seem so far away now.

In the next few weeks I know many of you, like me, will enjoy attending Nativity plays and tableaux put on in our schools, villages and beyond. We value the traditional hymns and description of Jesus’ birth, which follows the same Biblical story, even though most teachers and vicars have a collection of jokes about things children have said or done which don't quite stick to the script.

Yet for many of us, children and adults, its easy to forget that the Nativity story is really quite irrelevant to our lives today, unless we have a grasp of who that small baby in the manger was and what he came to do. After all, the only reason we mark a historic figure's birthday is because of the life they led afterwards. In his relatively short time here on earth he shared the daily life and work of an ordinary home, he went about healing sick and troubled people and teaching small groups in villages, in the fields and by the lakeside gathering 12 ordinary men to be his helpers.

Jesus taught by what he said, by what he was and by what he did. He taught us to trust God, as a loving father, to pray in faith and to be sensitive to the needs of others, and to follow him in lives of generosity, faith, simplicity and love. He taught that we are each infinitely precious to God so we should look out for one another with understanding, respect and forgiveness.

Now I reckon that really is worth celebrating so do have a very Happy Christmas.

God Bless, Tom