Message from our Superintendent Rev Faith Nyota

Dear Friends,

 

The Christmas season is upon us. The scent of Christmas is very much in the air. The story of Christmas is retold over and over again. 

 

A season in which there is much thought and concern put into the concept of gifts. Many children (and adults) focus upon and delight in the anticipation of what gifts they may get during this season. Many adults run around from store to store consumed with getting the ‘right’ gifts for all of those on their lists. Too often in the hustle and bustle of what is going on at this season, we forget the most important gift of all - Jesus Christ. 

 

There is a tendency to get caught up in the - 'I've got to get cards out, I have to find the perfect gift, I have to travel to visit family, oh no, and family are travelling to see me.' And most damaging of all, 'I have to get into the holiday spirit.’

 

I have always found myself so busy working around the holidays that it is often Christmas Eve before I sit down and relax into the meaning of the season. This year I decided to begin that process earlier and I have been setting aside time for reflection during the Advent season as we engaged and reflected on the Connexional Advent resource ‘Out of the Ordinary’. I hope you have found these resources helpful.  

As we go about our celebrations and festivities this Christmas season, as we share happiness and good times with families and friends, I ask that you remember those who are hurting this holiday season and be a blessing to them. Those who have no family, or have lost lovely ones, for those in war-torn countries, infrastructure and homes destroyed; for those with no good memories of decorations gathered and treasured, for those whose physical reminders of family Christmases of years gone by have been destroyed; for those in the Holy Land and Ukraine and beyond, those who will not be able to enjoy a normal, happy Christmas, instead for them Christmas may be a particularly lonely and sad time. A time of very mixed emotions; many thinking back to the happy Christmases of their childhood, and now those days have gone; there will be empty places at the meal table, there will be loneliness and there will be tension in some homes, and it is difficult for everyone to get on together. There are plenty of people who have fallen into hard times, are depressed, without a job; all these leaving many homes into untold turmoil and many people can’t pay their mortgage and jobless families cannot feed themselves or lead dignified lives, as the prices at the grocery store go up. As a result, this year, Christmas is going to be hard for lots of people. 

Ask God to show you who these people are in your sphere of influence and love them, bless them, and let them know that you care. God gave His Son for our benefit. We certainly can give of ourselves for another’s benefit. I know there is nothing more gratifying than to be a blessing unto others and be a light of hope for those who are hopeless.

Enjoy the Christmas season with family, friends, and those who need a helping hand, and represent God with a bright light here on earth this Christmas!

Have a peaceful Christmas and a happy New Year.

Grace and Peace, 

Faith