It’s never easy to say farewell to a church member, especially one who has been part of our church family for many years. But Ralph Fletcher is moving to the East coast shortly, and so this was his final Sunday service with us. We were pleased to give him gifts and to pray with him, expressing our appreciation and thanks for his faithful ministry over many years and asking God’s blessing on him as he moves out of our area.

Ralph has been a member of our church for over twenty years and has been part of the leadership team for many years. His Bible teaching and faithfulness in prayer have been examples to us and we will miss him greatly, though we were relieved to hear he would welcome visitors if we are ever in the Bridlington area!

Apart from singing about stars and having starlights around the church, we also took part in an activity to make different star decorations.

These were some of the decorations made:

At the end, all of the decorations were displayed and some people won star lights!

Our thanks to all who were so creative!

Stars feature quite frequently in carol services: wise men following ‘yonder star‘; the ‘natal star‘ in ‘Angels From The Realms of Glory’; the fact that Jesus was born on a ‘starry night’ and so on. But whilst the star of Bethlehem is clearly important in guiding the magi to Jesus and in proclaiming the birth of a king, the title ‘bright morning star‘ is actually given to Jesus Himself. (Rev 22:16)

2 Pet 1:19 tells us that we have a prophetic message, a light shining in the darkness. The term ‘bright morning star’ often refers to the last star which shines before dawn and speaks of the end of darkness and the coming of light. Jesus is the light of the world (see Jn 8:12, Jn 1:4) whose coming brings hope to all.

This coming, celebrated at Christmas and prophesied in Numbers 24:17, explains why the wise men followed ‘his’ star and came to worship a king. They expected the king to be born in a palace, an obvious place, but Jesus, though King of the Jews, was born in Bethlehem. They expected the majesty and pageantry of royalty, but found instead a peasant family and an ordinary baby.

Scripture does not tell us if the wise men were disappointed or surprised to find the King of the Jews in such an ordinary, everyday place. Quite often, that is our reaction to God, expecting the razzmatazz of miracles and astounding power rather than the humility of the incarnation: God wrapped in human flesh. The hope that God brings is more than a pipe dream; it is the certainty that God is now with us and is our God. We may fail to see God, however, because He so frequently uses the ordinary and the everyday. Let’s be sure to keep our eyes on the ‘bright morning star’ as we journey on in faith.

Dave spoke this morning from Luke 2:15-20, reminding us that babies are special, their new life and innocence giving us hope and pointing to the wonder and mystery of life. At Christmas, as we celebrate Christ’s birth, we celebrate also the mystery of the eternal God becoming a helpless baby, but we need to remember that Jesus is not only a helpless baby but God incarnate and reflect on the magnificence of deity.

We need to grow up in Christ (Eph 4:15), not content to stay gazing at the stable in Bethlehem, but understanding that this baby is God wrapped in human flesh. Wonder must give way to worship; we need to go beyond being charmed at the ‘cute baby’ and changed by the God who wants to live in us. If Christmas is only about the birth of a baby, the joy it brings is only temporary, but when we understand Jesus is the way to an eternal inheritance and everlasting life (1 Pet 1:3-4), our perspective is changed from admiration to adoration.

Jesus was worshipped as a baby by shepherds and wise men; as a man, He accepted worship from people (see the healings in Matt 8 & 9, Jn 9 and Mark 5), something only God is due. We need to recognise Jesus as God as well as man.

Growing up in faith means we understand something of the way God works and learn to stop fighting God, surrendering our lives and wills to Him. Growing up also means we know what God requires of us: the dedication of our whole lives to Him, and means we are prepared to go beyond decorations to dedication and beyond celebration to surrender.

The story is told of a children’s celebration where each child was required to hold up a letter spelling out the word ‘Christmas Love’. One child held the ‘M’ upside down, however, resulting in the sentence ‘Christ was love’. Christmas reminds us of Christ’s love and continuing, abiding presence with us. We worship not only a baby, but God Himself.

I love getting Christmas cards. A lot of people think they are a waste of time and money, but I really enjoy hearing from people (especially those who may live far away and not be in contact very often) and I love getting something through the letterbox which is not junk mail or bills, as well as having cards from those who live nearby. Christmas cards are a reminder that I still matter to people, that they are thinking of me at this time of year and that we are still connected, even if separated in other ways. People I used to go to school with, friends from university, former colleagues and friends from foreign countries all get in touch at this time of year, and I enjoy hearing their news. This year has brought news of moves, additions to the family (a lot of my friends are reaching the age of becoming grandparents, and it seems astonishing to me that their children, whom I remember being born, can now be old enough to have their own children!), some troubles (inevitably), but it is always good to hear of God’s faithfulness and help.

The Bible has many lists of names and it can be rather overwhelming at times to plough through these lists of genealogies or names which to us are unfamiliar and often unpronounceable! Today’s readings included Ezra 2, where the exiles returning to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity, are listed. Wow, what a list! Pippa Gumbel, on this reading, commented, ‘The people were counted, because people count.’ For this reason, I always really like the lists of names in the Bible. They remind me, as do the Christmas cards sent each year and displayed in my house, that people count. Individuals matter. God knows each one of us by name.

Naming, Eugene Peterson says, ‘is a way of hoping.’ (‘Run With The Horses’, P 29) He goes on to remind us that ‘no child is just a child. Each is a creature in whom God intends to do something glorious and great. Who we are and will be is compounded with who God is and what He does.’ (ibid., P 32) At this time of year, our attention is focussed on one child, Jesus, whose name carries hope (‘He shall save His people from their sins’) and who is a visible reminder that God is always with us (‘Emmanuel’; listen to Matt Redman’s ‘His Name Shall Be’). But it’s worth remembering that each one of us also matter to God and that He knows each one of us by name.

Thanks to all who came to the pantomime at Dearne Playhouse and thanks to the fantastic cast who gave us a lot of laughs this afternoon. The ugly sisters took a fancy to two of our group, which was rather alarming to the two concerned!

Don’t forget our communion service tomorrow morning at 10.30 a.m. and the carol service tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. This is always a good time to prepare for Christmas through carols old and new, readings, activities and a short Christmas message. Do come along and invite people to our ‘Morning Star’ carol service.