Family Communion for Christmas Day: celebrant the Revd Tola Badejo.

First reading: Titus 3. 4–7
Gospel: Luke 2: 8–20

Titus was the leader appointed by the early church to organise congregations on Crete. This fact is important, as it shows that even in the early years of the church, Christianity was spreading well beyond Israel into communities which had no background in Hebrew tradition; the letter to Titus, attributed to St Paul, sets out clearly how Christians should behave, how their churches should be organised, and the principles of belief they should follow. Critically, Titus is to emphasise that Christ is our only mediator, which is why the brief passage forming the first reading is chosen for Christmas Day.

The much more familiar passage from Luke's Gospel, about the shepherds, also concerns the revelation of Christ to outsiders, though in this case outsiders within the Jewish world. Shepherds lived with their flocks, away from centres of population and unable to comply with all religious practices, so they were often regarded as disreputable. Yet it was to shepherds outside Bethlehem that the angels announces Christ's birth, and shepherds who were the first visitors to the stable.

Our Christmas morning service aims to be lively, informal and celebratory.