2022 Area Letter for December from one of the Area Staff Team;

How quickly time moves on! The last Area Letter I wrote, was in February, right at the end of the Christmas season as we celebrated Candlemas. Yet here we are in this Advent Season, preparing for another Christmas!

It is Autumn going on Winter, with long days of darkness, of chill and of putting on thicker clothes and coats to keep us warm. The central heating is on and fires lit to cheer us! But who doesn’t like taking a walk, kicking the fallen leaves, underfoot!?

However, I don’t like these dark chilly deary days, much preferring the long warm days of summer light and colour. In the darkness of this season, we can become a little gloomy in ourselves too. Gloomy not just because of the dark dreary days, but also because of what’s happening both in our own lives and in the world; of all the events taking place and of the precarious economic outlook, making us think of what we can or cannot afford, especially in this season of excess. We cannot but be affected by circumstances, both near and far. These can test our resolve and our faith.

Of course, all this is nothing new; with the exception of climate change, much of what is happening around the world has happened before in one way or another. All these things can be a real distraction for us making our Advent preparations and celebrating once again the coming of God into his world on that first Christmas Day. It can be difficult to reconcile all this, with what’s going on.

Thankfully God knows what he is doing! It is no mistake that God comes to be with us, in the form of a helpless poor baby. The scriptures describe him as Emmanuel (God with us) who comes at the darkest time of the year. It is this helpless baby, who came to bring light, life, healing and wholeness to all the dark places of the world and to our lives.

It is precisely because of this, that in whatever circumstance we may find ourselves, we can and should rejoice in God’s wonderful gift to us in his Son Jesus Christ. Christmas is a time to remember, to give thanks, as well as to give and to receive, and to celebrate in the most special and precious ways with those we love and those around us. We are called to be that light shining for Christ. To be that special gift to all whom we meet.

I do like that Christmas is a celebration of the ‘Light of the World’ coming among us, to be with us, to experience what we experience, bringing hope for today and tomorrow; God’s love shining in the darkness. Yes, it is a season of excess, but rather than material excess, it is a celebration of an excess of love, freely given to all who put their trust in Jesus, the light of the world.

May He be your light, your love, joy, peace and your hope as you journey on.

Blessings and peace

Charles

Rev Charles Dale, minister with PTO across the Area.