Looking back over 2015, we see God at work and people growing in fellowship and faith:

JANUARY

New Year’s DayFamily service, learning about God’s direction for our lives:

‘Churches Together’ at Furlong Road, thinking about Christian unity:

FEBRUARY

Learning about true love via Jenga and Shrek:

MARCH

Naaman’s ‘7 ducks’ in the river taught us a lot about obedience:

Women’s World Day of Prayer at Barnburgh:

APRIL

Easter March of Witness

Garry modelling an Easter bonnet:

Garry spoke from John 1:1-5 on Christmas Day, looking at Christ’s role as illuminator and revelator. Jesus came to reveal what God is like, firstly to the Jews (who might have been expected to know so much about God, given their rich history of encounters with Him, but whose ideas also needed challenging and reforming) and ultimately to all people.

Naturally speaking, all life comes from other life; we cannot generate life from no life and that which is not alive (or has died) cannot produce new life. God, however, is capable of bringing life from death (see Ezek 37:15, 9-10). Jesus holds the keys of death and Hades (Rev 1:18); God, as first cause, is the spring from which all life comes (see John 5:26). God who is the life is also the illuminator, the One who lights up the darkness (see also Eph 4:17-18). The darkness discussed there is like the hardening of a callus which renders us insensitive to God, but Christ’s light shines into hearts and brings life and knowledge to all, re-awakening hearts that were dead in transgressions and sin and illuminating minds that were unable to perceive all God has done.

We were at the Christmas Eve carol service at Grimethorpe Pentecostal Church last night and Joy Gascoigne, the pastor there, read out this poem by Godfrey Rust. As we celebrate Christmas today, it’s worth remembering that Jesus, whilst described as God’s ‘indescribable gift’ to us (2 Cor 9:15), is not the kind of present we can manipulate, not a panacea for our ills, but a Saviour for our sins. Behaviour matters as much as beliefs to Him; He is the Lord and we’re not.

‘What kind of Messiah does anyone want?
What sort of Saviour will do?
Before we subscribe and get dunked in the font,
what kind of Messiah are you?
What kind of Messiah does anyone need
in our postmodern hullabaloo?
What qualifications will help him succeed?
What kind of Messiah are you?

Will you stop us from worry and calm us from fear?
Will you free us from debt and fatigue?
Will you send David Cameron packing next year?
Will you put us on top of the League?
Will you heal our diseases with mystical magic
so we’ll live to 102?
Will you make it all better when things turn out tragic?
What kind of Messiah are you?

Will you find me a partner and get me a job?
Will you save me a good place to park?
Will I be superfit even though I’m a slob?
Will you keep me a berth in the ark?
Will you answer my prayers (but not everyone else’s)?
Will you make all my wishes come true?
Will you bless all of Arsenal’s strikers (not Chelsea’s!)?
What kind of Messiah are you?

Will you be kind to Hindus and good atheists?
Will you send all the bad ones to hell?
Will you show Richard Dawkins he doesn’t exist?
What is it you’re planning, do tell!
Will you stop every war, every flood and tsunami
and remove the excess CO2?
Will you fix all the people who’re driving me barmy?
What kind of Messiah are you?

Will you make sure my mortgage rate doesn’t go higher?
Stop me drinking too much alcohol?
Can I win EuroMillions and go and retire
to a house on the Costa del Sol?
Will you bless my belief and ignore my behaviour
and vindicate all that I do?
Oh, just be my own private and personal Saviour—
what kind of Messiah are you?’

Someone once said that men are happy because they can buy 24 presents on Christmas Eve without getting stressed! Certainly, for most people, Christmas brings its stresses: a desire to make everyone happy may seem laudable but is impossible; the creation of that ‘perfect’ meal or the ‘perfect’ family gathering often causes more friction than pleasure; spending time with relatives sounds wonderful until the bickering starts and so on…

If we feel that Christmas is stressful, it’s worth pondering what it must have been like for Mary and Joseph in that bustling town of Bethlehem, overcrowded because of the Roman census, with no room to be found anywhere. Without the benefit of websites like www.lastminute.com, they must have felt the pressure of trying to find accommodation and were all too aware of the complications of the imminent arrival of a baby. I doubt they felt that the birth of Jesus was going according to their plans, which just goes to remind us that God’s ways are very different to ours. (Is 55:8-9)

In our consumer-driven society, with online shopping available 24/7, there is very little respite from consumerism to be found, even at Christmas. For many people, Christmas brings with it more chores than pleasures. But all that we need to celebrate Christmas is found in the person of Jesus Christ and all He asks is for us to be still and know that He is God. (Ps 46:10) When the shops are shut and the presents are wrapped and the food is prepared, let’s make sure we have time to be still and savour the wonder of God in human form. And if the presents aren’t wrapped and the food is delayed, as long as we have Jesus, it really doesn’t matter. Life, light, glory… all we really need is found here.

And by the way…

Still to come in December is the Christmas Day service, starting at 10.30 a.m. Join with us to sing carols, celebrate Communion and worship Christ our Lord this Friday – the service will only last an hour, so plenty of time still for Christmas cooking!

There will be no badminton on Christmas Day or coffee morning on Boxing Day, but on Sunday 27th December, services will be at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. as usual.

Don’t forget also the New Year’s Day party on Friday 1st January 2016 at 4 p.m. It’s always a great time of fun and fellowship, so bring your friends and family for a festive introduction to 2016!

Having reached the end of Psalm 119, we are still not quite at the end of our Advent musings; we have still not reached the stable at Bethlehem and paused to gaze in wonder at the baby in the manger.

Yesterday, we looked at our part in prayer, but it is worth pausing to reflect on the fact that prayer is a response to God: ‘You reveal and we respond’ (‘King of Wonders’). Prayer is not simply about expressing ourselves to God, but learning to answer God.

God is a God who speaks. He spoke creation into being (Genesis 1) and John describes Jesus as the Word of God (John 1). Michael Card describes Him as God’s ‘final perfect word’ (‘Final Word’). Ironically, however, this Word of God chose to enter our world garbed in flesh and blood, and, in coming as a baby, to have no words at all. When we arrive at that manger to worship, we acknowledge the limitation of words. Wonder, sometimes, runs out of words. Adoration doesn’t need words.

As we tiptoe into the manger to gaze on our newborn King, words may well be left outside. Prayer is not always articulate: ‘silence, sighs, groaning – these also constitute responses.’ (Eugene Peterson, ‘Answering God’, P 12)

Today’s society leaves little room for silence or for contemplation. But today, cherish the silence of worship and draw near to God in reverent awe. In the silence, you may well hear His voice in new ways, for this ‘wordless One’ still somehow manages to speak to our hearts.