As we look back on 2014, different people will have different perspectives. For some, it has been an exciting year, full of promise. For others, it has been a difficult year, with illness or bereavement predominant. Everyone has a different view based on what has happened to them.

For Christians, however, the constant in every year is the presence of God with us and because of this we can rejoice and give thanks in every circumstance. Last night we looked at some of the highlights of the year:

1) fellowship through parties and special services

2) increased fellowship with other churches through the ‘Churches Together’ meetings held in January, March, May, September and December, as well as the Easter March of Hope and our ongoing involvement with the Salvation Army food bank ministry, which culminated in Christmas hampers being given out last week:

3) ongoing teaching on a number of topics (including ‘Growing Up In God’, ‘Joseph and the Dream’, ‘Prayer’, ‘God’s Heroes’ and ‘Everyday Church’, as well as Bible studies on 1 John, the photos below looking at litmus tests, which John describes in 1 John 2)

4) family services looking at a range of topics in fun and innovative ways (including ‘New for Old’, ‘Mountains’, ‘Mirrors’, ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘Whiter Than Snow’, with Garry leading a James Bond service on ‘The World Is Not Enough‘):

5) anniversary celebrations with our ‘Big Birthday Bash’ weekend in June celebrating 50 years since our church first moved into its own building on Beever Street:

6) ongoing missionary support, with a visit from Fredrick & Reeba in November:

7) development of people’s ministries, with new additions to the coffee morning team, Sunday school team, music team and Mums & Toddlers.

8) ongoing refurbishment of the building, including the installation of cavity wall and roof insulation, the removal of old boilers, the decoration and refurbishment of the children’s room and stage area and the boxing-in of piping:

These are just a few of the highlights of the year and we are sure that each person will have their own memories and their own highlights. We are particularly grateful for the new people God has drawn into fellowship with us and for the old friends who have returned to the area. We are also immensely grateful for the family spirit which is so evident and the way that each person is willing to give sacrificially to the church in terms of time, service and money. There is so much to be thankful for as we look back and because of God’s continuing faithfulness, we can look forward to 2015 with hope and joy.

Last night’s sermon looks at how Christmas lasts. It’s easy after Christmas to be struck by the Christmas slump, when the combination of exhaustion and overeating makes us feel as though we never want to move again!

As we survey our gifts (and all the strewn wrapping-paper), we can have a number of different reactions. Some gifts are short-lived (like the plastic toys in Christmas crackers). Others are readily consumed (like the chocolates which don’t last long!) Other gifts may break easily or may even make us feel bewildered: what on earth is that for?! Other gifts are so well-loved that they eventually wear out.

Other gifts may seem insignificant at first, however, but soon become extremely important or significant to us. Tommy Emmanuel was given a guitar at the age of four, but his family probably little realised the influence this would have on him, shaping him into a world-famous guitarist (listen to him play ‘Classical Gas’ here!) God’s gift of Jesus contains all the promises of God – far more than seemed probable at face value, for the first Christmas was largely unnoticed and unremarkable, yet was actually pivotal in the whole of history.

Christmas was the time when God’s promise of a Saviour and Deliverer was first seen on earth. (Gal 4:4) Rom 5:1-5 reminds us that this salvation includes access to grace (including common grace and saving grace), hope (which does not disappoint us or put us to shame), and peace (which primarily refers to peace with God, since we were by nature enemies of God) and gives us access to all that God has for us.

Christmas lasts far beyond the twelve days traditionally associated with that festival. However, for us to enter into all that God has for us, we have to allow Him access to every recess of our hearts and surrender totally, trusting that He has our best interests at heart and is working all things together for good. The best New Year’s resolution we can make is to give Him total control of our lives and live in the reality of Christmas all year round.

Our final birthday slot of the year was also celebrated:

Dave asked us the intriguing question today ‘what would an alien think Christmas was all about, based on our Christmas cards and celebrations?’

The alien might assume Christmas was a celebration of winter, with many cards featuring snow scenes:

Another assumption might be some tree fertility festival:

Or you could perhaps make a case for bears:

Even cards which focus on the Nativity scene paint a sanitised view of Christmas, when in reality the stable was a smelly, noisy place and Jesus undoubtedly was a baby who cried!

John 1:1-3 reminds us that Jesus was fully God, but as Paul emphasises in Phil 2, He took on the nature of man and we are left with this mystery that Jesus was both fully man and fully God. He knew what it was to need food and drink, to need sleep, to feel emotions and to face temptation, just as we do. He was not simply pretending to be human; he really was human.

Our challenge is to hear God’s word to us and to respond to it, just as Mary and Joseph and the shepherds and wise men did. We might wonder why God did not provide a better location or easier circumstances for His Son (and we certainly wonder why He does not make our lives easier!), but God’s solution is to enter the mess, rather than remove the mess from us. Jesus came as God’s message of peace and goodwill to all men, but He asks for our response and has chosen to give us free will. We need to be willing to give our whole lives to God so that we can respond in faith and love. If we do so, we can enter 2015 confidently, not apprehensively, for we do not walk alone but have the Light of the World, Immanuel, walking with us.

This morning’s service to celebrate Christ’s birth featured a choice of carols from the congregation (including ‘Silent Night’, ‘Christians, awake’, ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’, ‘Away in a Manger’ and ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ as well as the hymn ‘It Is Well’ and looked at how God resembles Postman Pat…

Garry spoke on how Postman Pat delivers letters and cards and parcels and how God is able to deliver us from sin and also how God delivers on His promises. God’s promise of deliverance goes back to the fall of man and the Jews eagerly awaited the Prophet who would deliver (Deut 18:15), knowing that God’s words were flawless (Ps 12:5-6). This deliverer was not only for the Jewish nation, but would be for all mankind (see Is 52:13-15) and in Jesus, all the promises of God are ‘Yes.’ (2 Cor 1:20) We can rely on God’s faithfulness to help us and to bring every promise He has made to fulfilment. The birth of Jesus demonstrates God’s faithfulness and His ability to deliver and so we have a God who can bring us hope and can rescue us, no matter how dire our situation may be. The place of Jesus’s birth reminds us of God’s ability to fulfil prophecy (Micah 5:2), even when that fulfilment seems impossible, and our hearts are encouraged to keep on holding on to God’s promises, believing that He will bring to pass all He has promised.

We also looked at how an order of monks who have taken vows of silence might ‘make a joyful noise to the Lord’. Watch here to find out more!

Happy Christmas to all! Today we reach Christmas and Advent – all the waiting – is over. We pray you will have a blessed Christmas time, taking time to pause and celebrate Jesus.

Today’s song urges us to ‘celebrate the child who is the light.’ This song resonates with memories for me, chiefly my two year old son playing along to the cassette (yes, it was that long ago…) on an old adult-sized guitar, merrily singing along in half-words which were all he could manage: ‘cel.. chil…is light…now darkness o-o’. For some reason, this was one of his favourite Christmas songs and as we celebrate in church later, with him playing the piano to accompany our carols, I cannot help but celebrate God’s faithfulness to our family along with His faithfulness in sending Christ.

‘Celebrate the Child who is the Light
Now the darkness is over
No more wandering in the night
Celebrate the Child who is the Light

First born of creation
Lamb and Lion, God and Man
The Author of Salvation
Almighty wrapped in swaddling bands.’ (‘Celebrate the Child’, Michael Card)

One of my greatest fears for Christmas is that we treat it as a fable, a fairy story, something which is sweet and cute but which actually does not really matter. This song addresses that head-on, declaring the Christmas truth that ‘Godhead and manhood became one.’ Let’s dwell in that mystery today, the mystery of the Incarnation, knowing that because Jesus put on human skin, He knows what it is like to be human, with all its joys and sorrows, and because He is Almighty God, He is able to save us. Let’s celebrate Jesus!

Recently voted the most popular carol of all, ‘O Holy Night’ focuses on that night when Christ was born. As we prepare for Christmas Day, let all within us praise His holy name, for Christ is with us, Lord of all.

‘O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees, o hear the angel voices
O night divine, o night when Christ was born
O night divine, o night, o night divine

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His Gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord, o praise His name forever
His power and glory yet the poor proclaim
His power and glory yet the poor proclaim

Fall on your knees, o hear the angel voices
O night divine, o night when Christ was born
O night divine, o night, o night divine. (‘O Holy Night’)

Listen to choristers sing the song here or to versions by Kutless  or Chris Tomlin or an instrumental version by Phil Keaggy.