The 17th

We live in networks: either virtual communities like MySpace or Facebook, or television communities like Emmerdale and EastEnders. Sometimes they seem more real than the actual communities we inhabit. And along with sport, another way we get our sense of belonging today, they provide the common experiences that we talk about most. But we don’t necessarily know much about each other.
Indeed, the local church is one of the few places left where people of all shapes and sizes, ages and races (Spurs and Arsenal fans meeting in harmony!) gather together regularly. Shepherds and kings were invited to the stables at Bethlehem. Regardless of rank, race, class or caste you are invited today.

Stephen Cottrell

Yesterday evening was our annual Nine Lessons and Carols service at St Michaels, a beautiful service which intertwines the biblical story of man's relationship with God, prophecy alluding to the messiah and retelling the Christmas story with some cracking carols and beautiful choral pieces.

This was the first service I attended 16 years ago, my first taste of that church community. I can remember loving the hymns but being really uncomfortable with the Old Testament readings. My problem was I had no concept of scripture as allegory and poetry, of it being the story of God's relationship with a community rather than a presumed history.

We'll never know the true circumstances of Jesus' birth but to me the details are unimportant, what matters is incarnation, Jesus presence and action within that community; that's what we should be in our communities- present and active.

Today I found joy in our church community, I was thankful for a day off (from nursing- not vicaring!) and felt helpless about the folks who are struggling through the festive season.

Scripture

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

James 2:14-17

On the twelfth day of Christmas...

...I slept

The twelfth day of Christmas happened whilst I was sleeping between night shifts, although being on a night shift meant I was there in those last few moments, as Christmas became Epiphany. The decs are down, the food has all been eaten and baby Jesus is wrapped in tissue paper, waiting for Advent to come round again. But we still have Jesus the man, our incarnate God who shared table fellowship with the despised, who spoke to women when is wasn't socially acceptable, who stood alongside the outcasts and marginalised, who showed anger at hipocracy, and cried at the death of a friend. He revealed to us, as far as is possible for us to comprehend, what God is like and how much we're loved. I am so, so thankful for that.

Room in my heart for thee

Working nights this weekend has made going for a walk a bit difficult so I'm going to concentrate on the prayer, I think there's two separate things going on in it.
Firstly there's the patience, and sometimes Advent feels like one big exercise in patience. We want the light, the joy and the sparkle but Christians have to earn it by taking time to do the second thing- make room in our hearts for Jesus.
With my recent assignment I've spent quite a lot of time contemplating the incarnation and what it means. For me it's a revelation of God's character, which is pure love. God with us, not in the grandeur we read of in the Old Testament - a presence so holy it can't even be looked upon. This God can be held, burped and swaddled. He can no doubt keep his parents up all night too! The same God who created all that is and all that will be is born amongst us helpless and vulnerable. I have more than enough room in my heart for that.