A Christmas message from Bishop Rose: (A text version can be found below this video)
What a year this has been! It has flown by so fast and, as hard as we tried we cannot pretend that we have not witnessed the darkness of the war in Ukraine, the Middle East, the Sudan, and other places of civil unrest. Closer to home we have also witnessed the evil of “Othering” parts of God’s creation; the deliberate whipping up of division within our communities. And more recently the damaged wreaked by hurricane Melissa and the flash floodings in the UK. In our own lives we too in the beautiful garden of Kent may have experienced dark moments perhaps with a diagnosis, bereavement, difficult relationships or being accepted for who we are.
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas 2025, we are rightly reminded that the true gift from God in this season comes as light, love, joy and peace.
Light shining in all the dark corners and overcoming evil; love being the solid foundation that we build on; joy bringing us true happiness and peace filling us with real contentment and hope.
You see we mistakenly think that Christmas is all about rushing around like headless chickens accumulating more stuff!
The writer of “The work of Christmas” Howard Thurman, had this to say:
When the song of the angel is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone; When the Kings and Princes are home; when the shepherds are back with their flock, The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken
To feed the hungry
To release the prisoner
To rebuild the nations
To bring peace among brothers
To make music in the heart.
Together, let us shine, and love one another unconditionally – patterning God’s generosity when he sent His Son into the world that we may have life, and live it more fully.
Every blessing for Christmas and the New Year…