This is a busy week for our church, but we are so grateful for the opportunities we have to take part in the Goldthorpe Christmas Market and to be involved in reaching out to our local community, as well as enjoying our Parent & Toddler Christmas Party on Friday morning.

Thank you to all who help with the Parent & Toddler group and to the parents and friends who support it so enthusiastically.

Thank you to all who have worked hard on preparing goods to sell on the craft stall or who have donated time and money to this event (buying raffle tickets, donating raffle and tombola prizes, helping to set up and prepare for the event, preparing goody bags, baking cakes and so on.) Your generosity and kindness are much appreciated.

Thank you to all who will support the event by giving your time and energy to help on the day or who will turn up to buy! Thank you also to all who are praying, even if they are unable to attend. We believe that this is far more than an ‘event’, but is an opportunity to show God’s love and kindness in practical ways. Please pray for good weather, health and safety for all involved and a fantastic time of witness and fun!

The Goldthorpe Christmas Market will run from 4-8 p.m. on Friday 9th December. Please note there will be no parking available in the church car park or on Market Street that day. Alternative car parking is behind the library off the main road.

A few weeks ago I preached on ‘Stir Up Sunday’, the last Sunday before Advent, so called because of the prayer said in Anglican services on that day: “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Today I was reading the book of Haggai, where God moves His people to rebuild the temple and the theme of stirring was there as well. ‘So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, ¹⁵ on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.‘ (Haggai 1:14-15)

So often, we need God to stir our hearts and spirits into action. Apathy, indifference, busyness, fear, hurt… all these things can conspire to keep us inert and inactive. But when God stirs our hearts and spirits, we are spurred into action. As we prepare for the Christmas market outreach this week, may our hearts be stirred by God to reach out with the good news of Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

We also had a birthday to celebrate!

As usual, we enjoyed a hands-on activity during the family service. This involved decorating the shepherd’s staff:

The finished staffs looked like this:

The reason behind this activity can be summarised in the poem below:

‘Look at a candy cane: what do you see?

Stripes that are red like the blood shed for me.

White for my Saviour, who’s sinless and pure.

J is for Jesus, my Lord, that’s for sure.

Turn it around and a staff you will see

Jesus, my Shepherd, is coming for me!’

Mark spoke from Luke 2:1-20 at the family service on the subject of shepherds. Shepherds were just ordinary people, often not regarded highly – perhaps the equivalent would be someone working on a late night shift for the minimum wage today. Yet these were the people to whom angels spoke, inviting them to visit the Saviour born in a stable.

We might ask why God chose a stable for the birthplace of His Son, rather than a palace. Certainly, a stable and a manger (a feeding trough for animals) were not the ideal place for the birth of a baby, but this choice makes it very plain that Jesus was sent to all people, for He was born without special privileges. Similarly, by announcing the birth of His Son to shepherds, God showed that He is interested in all people. The wise men may have had precious gifts to bring to Jesus, but the shepherds had nothing. They demonstrate that God wants everyone to know His good news and reveals His glory to insignificant people. What matters is willingness, which outweighs wisdom.

1 Cor 1:26-29 reminds us that God chooses the weak and the foolish so that He alone gets the glory. He calls ordinary people who have nothing to give and uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. That’s hugely encouraging for us!

Here are some more of the craft items available at the Christmas Market on Friday 9th December (4-8 p.m.)

In addition to craft items, there will be home baking and refreshments to sample as well as a variety of games, tombola and raffle prizes to win. Don’t forget our donkey! – hanging proudly, who can be the first to beat the sweets out of him?!