Vicar’s Article – Christmas Presence!

“No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.” It’s a line from the carol: “O Little Town of Bethlehem”. It’s also a concise summary of the Christmas message: Jesus came into our broken world to rescue us from selfishness and to invite us into a living relationship with God.
The carol’s author was Phillips Brooks (1868). In a letter to a colleague, Brooks described this relationship in his own life: “I cannot tell you how personal this grows to me. He is here. He knows me and I know him. It is the realest thing in the world”.
Brooks’ experience reflects one of the biblical names for Jesus frequently used at Christmas: “Immanuel”. It means “God with us”.
God drew near to us in Jesus so we could know him personally. His Christmas presence – the greatest gift of all.
Why not come and ‘unwrap’ his Christmas presence with us? You’ll be made VERY welcome!
Revd Douglas Black