Pastor's Letter December 2014 

 Dear Friends
 
December is upon us again and the Christmas season is getting into full swing (in case you hadn’t noticed).  The Christmas story is a wonderful one, full of mystery, wonder and surprise.  As we heard from George last Sunday, it has become a little embellished over the centuries and the story we see acted out in nativity plays contains more than a little artistic licence. Nevertheless, it is a wonderful story filled with hope as the good news is revealed by the angels to the shepherds and it is a part of God’s incredible story of redemption and salvation for his people.  It is the story of Emmanuel, of God with us.
 
Stories are powerful and over the last few weeks we have had the privilege of hearing from our own church family stories of healing, of encounters with God and with others, of overcoming, of restoration.  God’s story, as we read it in the Bible, is powerful on its own, but when it starts to interact with our own story; when God’s story of redemption and salvation starts to shape the story of our lives then this has incredible power to transform our lives and the lives of those around us. 
 
As we move into the Christmas season can I encourage you to consider your own story and how it has been shaped by God’s story?  How has the Good News of a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, impacted your life?  What difference has it made to you?   How would you share your story with someone else?  How did you come to faith?  What is God doing now, in this season of your life?  As you consider your story why not ask God to give you the opportunity to share it with someone this Christmas, to encourage them, to inspire them, to let them know that God is with us and that he loves us.
 
I pray that over this Christmas period you would know the amazing love and intimate presence of our God, and I pray that our lives and our stories would impact the lives of those around us and lead them to the God who loves them and who sent his Son to save them.
 
Love and Christmas Blessings
 
Jon