Finding Life and Light this Christmas
At Christmas time we give thanks for the birth of Jesus Christ, born in a humble stable in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. He came at a difficult and dangerous time for his native Jewish people, who suffered oppression from the imperial might of the Roman Empire. And yet into the darkness of the night, the light of the Christ Child shone as a beacon of God’s love for humanity.
2022 has been a difficult year for the world. Globally we have felt the impact of the fallout from the pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the mounting effects of climate change. In our own country, political instability, the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II, and the cost-of-living crisis, have affected us all in different ways.
At Christmas we do not forget or turn our back on these issues. Rather, we are reminded that it is precisely in the midst of our struggles that God makes himself present. It is when things can seem most desperate that we glimpse the life and light that is abundantly poured out for us in Christ.
Please join us at one of our Christmas services across the Western Dales this month, and be reminded of the hope that we are called to at this time of year. Christmas blessings be with you this season,
Revd Andy Burgess
Western Dales Mission Community Leader