Letter from the Vicarage

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Autumn seemed to arrive late this year and now the season of Advent is upon us, signalling that Christmas is not at all far away. In these four weeks before Christmas, we look forward with eager anticipation to the birth of the one who brings light into the world's darkness, giving all humanity real hope for the future.

Advent is an invitation to ready ourselves spiritually to discover the blessing of God's love made known in Jesus Christ, because encountering God incarnate in Jesus is something for which we cannot be unprepared. The idea that God enters human existence through the Incarnation in Jesus Christ is momentous almost beyond words, so we are bound to ponder, just as Mary must have done, what it can possibly mean for God to enter into the human experience.

It's all too easy to see Advent as the “run up” to Christmas, something we have to go through to get to the main event. Of course, we all want to enjoy a really great Christmas celebration, in our homes, church and communities. After all, feasting is part of the Christian tradition and what would Christmas be without family and friends, presents under the tree, turkey, Christmas pudding, mince pies and mulled wine? But maybe we should just pause for a moment and ask ourselves why exactly Christmas matters so much to us, and why even people with a secular outlook still choose to celebrate the festival.

Even with all the commercialisation of Christmas, the materialism and the shallow jollity we’re all encouraged to buy into, it is impossible for anyone to deny that Christmas is fundamentally about Jesus, the Christ child. Take Christ out of Christmas and all you have left is a vapid, empty and short-lived attempt to try and cheer ourselves up at the darkest and bleakest time of the year.

The true and lasting joy of Christmas can only be known when we accept the invitation of Advent to wonder and marvel at the sheer mystery and the great blessing of God choosing to be born as a human being, bringing light and life and hope to our shadowy world. May we all seize hold of that invitation this Advent as we journey towards a truly joyful and meaningful Christmas.

With every good wish and my prayers for a happy and holy Christmas celebration.

Revd. John Kronenberg