On the evening of 24 December the Church’s celebration of Christmas begins. We have Midnight Mass at St Andrew’s at 11.30 pm and the following morning the Christmas Day Mass at St Peter’s at 10 am. For the Church, the season of Christmastide continues up to 13 January this year and ends on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The most special days of this time are from Christmas Eve through to New Year’s Day, also called the Octave (eighth) day of Christmas. Just as with Easter, there are eight special days, simply because these times of year are so meaningful in the Church’s calendar.
Christmas celebrates the human birth of the Son of God, who was named Jesus. This fulfils God’s promise to be with his people and not to be distant from them or indifferent to their needs. God is with us and cares for us. For this reason the Christian faith always holds out hope for a new and better future. Even in our struggles we can become aware of the ways in which God is with us to inspire us and strengthen us and to fill our lives with his love. This does not bring the promise of an easy life, but it does hold out the prospect of countless blessings and the living hope of eternal life.
We hope that you will have a joyful and peaceful Christmas and find time to be with family and friends as well as to get some well-earned rest. You are invited to come and join us too as we worship the God who is always with us.
Christmas celebrates the human birth of the Son of God, who was named Jesus. This fulfils God’s promise to be with his people and not to be distant from them or indifferent to their needs. God is with us and cares for us. For this reason the Christian faith always holds out hope for a new and better future. Even in our struggles we can become aware of the ways in which God is with us to inspire us and strengthen us and to fill our lives with his love. This does not bring the promise of an easy life, but it does hold out the prospect of countless blessings and the living hope of eternal life.
We hope that you will have a joyful and peaceful Christmas and find time to be with family and friends as well as to get some well-earned rest. You are invited to come and join us too as we worship the God who is always with us.
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