The Vicar writes...

The Vicar writes...

Dear All,

What will be important to you on the day you die? What memories will you treasure and hold to your heart as important and significant? Who on that day will prove to be worthy of your trust? The first Christmas most in Bethlehem got it wrong. They passed the important by whilst they worked towards the unimportant. The innkeeper turns Mary away, the crowd of Bethlehem are unaware of the angelic hosts in the heavens as Jesus is born…God Himself had come to earth as a human baby born of Mary.



When you retrace your life, what is important to you, and will that be as important on the day you die? As a young clergyman, I visited a lady who was dying of cancer. She had been an agnostic all her life, but something in her heart was still open to God. She herself had held bitterness against one of her relatives, and she of her own volition decided to write a letter putting the relationship right. when I visited her, she gave testimony of a deep sense of peace she had never known before and how she had since asked god into her life and she was recognising the difference in her inner being. At the last moment this lady had chosen what was important, and I know I will meet her in heaven one day.

Christmas is a great opportunity to pick up with God in our hearts again. It can also be a busy time and a shallow jolly time. We need to strive for the important that this Christmas does not pass us by without a blessing of eternal proportions.

Jonathan Couper

P.S Some advice for Christmas. Think about the Christmas story whilst you are preparing for Christmas. Plan space to read, rest or pray over the Christmas period.

P.P.S.For many Christmas is painful – because during this season many face past disappointments or current painful relationships, and food, gifts and other seasonal fare costs money as well. We need to consciously trust in the truth that God loves us, and commit the painful areas into God’s hand ( forgiving those who hurt us) and just being willing to do only what we know God says we should do. We stand against the guilt which says we ought to do this or that, and instead we are only going to do what we are guided to do. Choose to especially go to the Christmas services which will help you spiritually engage with God, and over the Christmas period enjoy what you can and put time limits on the difficult moments.

This year we have a special quiet reflective service at 7-8 pm on Christmas Eve. This is designed to provide quiet, spiritual space for those who desire it. This and the rest of the services at Christ Church are outlined below


Mon14th Dec 10.30am Pre-School Nativity
Sun 20th Dec 9.00am Christmas Service
Sun 20th Dec 11.00am Christmas Family Service with Communion
Sun 20th Dec 11.00am Play N Do Church
Sun 20th Dec 11.00am Youth Church
Sun 20th Dec 6.00pm Candle Lit Carol Service
Tue 22nd Dec 7.30pm Candle Lit Carol Service
Thu 24th Dec 3.15pm for 4pm Children’s Candle Lit Carol Service
Thu 24th Dec 7-8pm Quiet Reflective Service for Prayer
Thu 24th Dec 11.30pm Christmas Eve Midnight Communion
Fri 25th Dec 10.00am Christmas Day Service
Sun 27th Dec 9.00am Communion Service
Sun 27th Dec 11.00am No Family, Play N Do or Youth Services
Sun 27th Dec 6.00pm Normal Evening Service

All the Network Christmas services are listed near the top of this blog