Made with Xara
The South Wight Benefice
In the vivid imagination of many young children, high above the decorations and colourful holiday lights, a jolly man in a red suit is pulled through the sky by a team of flying reindeer. Youngsters go to bed in fitful anticipation of the next morning. It's Christmas Eve! Yet today my mind wanders across time and space to a very different scene. The animals are restless. A mule brays. A cow bumps the stable door. An anxious husband stops pacing the makeshift delivery room floor to console his love. Suddenly a newborn baby sputters with His first breath. With a spirited cry He announces His own arrival. The long-awaited Son has come! On Christmas morning this year, children will leap out of bed and rush downstairs. Paper and ribbon will soon threaten to push everyone out of the room. Will we let it push out the Son of God too? In all the excitement of the holiday, let's draw attention to the Saviour. Like John the Baptist, let's point others to the One who came into the world but was not recognized by it. May the greetings we speak, the cards we send, the presents we give be motivated by our love for Jesus. After all, He is the real reason for the season! How will you celebrate this year? Will you spend it with family or alone? Across the benefice, we have tried to offer services in each of the Churches during the Christmas period, with carol services, nativity services, lessons and carols and we are also seeking to engage with families, by holding a Christingle service on the first Sunday in January. Along with all of this, I am leading a carol service from the Minster, that is being broadcast via Vectis Radio and the internet, so even if you cannot come to one of our church services, you can join in and sing-a-long on December 12 th at 7pm. God bless and wishing you all a Happy Christmas Rob
The South Wight Benefice
In the vivid imagination of many young children, high above the decorations and colourful holiday lights, a jolly man in a red suit is pulled through the sky by a team of flying reindeer. Youngsters go to bed in fitful anticipation of the next morning. It's Christmas Eve! Yet today my mind wanders across time and space to a very different scene. The animals are restless. A mule brays. A cow bumps the stable door. An anxious husband stops pacing the makeshift delivery room floor to console his love. Suddenly a newborn baby sputters with His first breath. With a spirited cry He announces His own arrival. The long-awaited Son has come! On Christmas morning this year, children will leap out of bed and rush downstairs. Paper and ribbon will soon threaten to push everyone out of the room. Will we let it push out the Son of God too? In all the excitement of the holiday, let's draw attention to the Saviour. Like John the Baptist, let's point others to the One who came into the world but was not recognized by it. May the greetings we speak, the cards we send, the presents we give be motivated by our love for Jesus. After all, He is the real reason for the season! How will you celebrate this year? Will you spend it with family or alone? Across the benefice, we have tried to offer services in each of the Churches during the Christmas period, with carol services, nativity services, lessons and carols and we are also seeking to engage with families, by holding a Christingle service on the first Sunday in January. Along with all of this, I am leading a carol service from the Minster, that is being broadcast via Vectis Radio and the internet, so even if you cannot come to one of our church services, you can join in and sing-a-long on December 12 th at 7pm. God bless and wishing you all a Happy Christmas Rob