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Focus
Focus is the bi-monthly magazine of Brislington United Reformed Church.
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Pastoral Letter
December 2006
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom
his favour rests." (Luke 2:14) |
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Ready, steady go! The annual scramble to the shops has begun. But I’m going to let you into a little secret Christmas shopping turns me right off. The thought of trekking round shops trying to second guess what people might like for Christmas, when they’ve probably got it already, leaves me cold. Besides, with the country awash with new shops, coupled with the ease of on-line shopping, people can get what they want when they want it night and day all the year round – and many do. The problem seems to be one of focus – too much attention on the material side of Christmas and too little on the joy that lies at the heart of the Christmas message. Christmas has become a byword for excess; excessive spending, eating, partying, holidaying and consuming.
When I was young Christmas was less complicated but no less happy for that. I would have a stocking containing a few nuts plus an apple and an orange (we only had oranges at Christmas). The main present might be a clockwork train set, a scooter or a pair of skates and that was it. Today the stocking is more likely to be a sack containing clothes, an X box, an ipod, an electronic game, a digital camera, DVD’s plus a mobile phone that takes photographs, plays music, connects to the internet and broadcasts the news! (Oh! And possibly even makes phone calls)! But that’s just the beginning there will be many more presents beside that. So, not only have we reached saturation point as far as gadgets and gimmicks are concerned but we’ve moved as far away from the spirit of Christmas as it is possible to go.
But Christmas shouldn’t be like that it should be a happy time and less stressful. A time of receiving Jesus into our lives and of sharing the fruits of his presence with others. To receive Jesus is to receive the love of God, the peace of God, the fellowship of God and the life of God flowing through us. What more could we want other than to share these good things with other people. This might be through a shared meal with family or friends, visiting a lonely neighbour to brighten up their life or doing something sacrificial to make a difference to someone’s life. These things bring their own reward far more valuable than money and longer lasting in the memories of those who are blessed than anything we could possibly buy them.
And we in our church fellowship at Brislington have become very adept at sharing and caring for one another which is good and something to build on as we go forward. As a fellowship we are more united today than even before something very noticeable throughout 2006 when we worked together on so many different projects for the greater good of each other. And I have nothing but admiration for this. The question now is “where do we go from here in 2007?” Recent events reported in the news have highlighted the fact that Christians in this country are being persecuted for what they believe and this is something we need to be alive to. So maybe in 2007 a stronger community presence may be the way forward for us as a church so that people round and about are aware of who we are and what we stand for – we can no longer take it for granted that they know.
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In the meantime enjoy your Christmas shopping if that’s what you like doing – and many do! And to all our readers wherever you are may the joy of Christ at Christmas be yours and may the New Year ahead bring you much happiness and new opportunities to serve him who came to us that we might come to God through him.
In Jesus’ name
Derek Marsh December 2006
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"Derek Marsh Assembly Accredited
Lay Preacher" |
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