Letter from Jon, December 2020
Dear Church Family
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:4,5
Well it’s December, the last month of 2020! For most of us it will be a year we are glad to leave behind for obvious reasons, but the final month is one that many of us so look forward to each year with all its Christmas joy. As I got into the car this morning to take the dog to the park the radio came on playing Coldplay’s ‘Christmas Lights’, and the first line I heard was ‘It doesn’t really feel like Christmas at all’. Now I’m not sure that that is true for most of us but it is certainly different this year. All around us people are making the best of a challenging season. Christmas music is on the radio, shops are full of food and gifts encouraging us to spend as we normally do at this time of year. We are even allowed a little freedom to meet with a few of those we love for a few days. There are of course though many things we will miss this year especially as a Church family. The thought of a Christmas where we can’t squash together in Tesco and sing Christmas carols is a tough one, and whilst we can say that is it only for one Christmas, the truth is that it is this Christmas, here and now.
One of the things that I have noticed is how many people are putting up their Christmas lights super early this year with many Christmas trees already in windows and a few houses draining the national grid. I must admit that we have a well lit back garden already and, like many others, it might well stay lit up well beyond Christmas. There is something about Christmas lights that spark joy and bring hope, and how much we need joy and hope. Whilst there is much that is different this year there is still a light that shines in the darkness, a light which will never be overcome by the darkness.
There is still a God who loves us so much that he sent his Son to save us. There is still Jesus, the hope of the world, the best news that was ever told. There is still Emmanuel; God with us. There is still the promise of life in all its fullness, of salvation through his name. There is still joy and hope in Jesus’ name.
During this year of lockdown it seems that ‘normal’ has changed and for most of us a realisation of what is really important to us, a revaluation of our priorities. Perhaps this Christmas, as we realise that many of the ‘trappings’ of Christmas are not that important after all, it will allow the true light of Christmas, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, to shine more brightly in our lives and in our world.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel and shine your light in our lives, in our homes, our streets and our world.
Love and Blessings
Jon |
Jon Farrimond, 01/12/2020