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Thought for the week
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Written by Father Alex McAllister, Christ The King RC, Thornbury
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One year at Christmas time I visited a family in Stanmore which is a largely Jewish neighbourhood. The lady told me how that morning she was loudly awakened by a dustbin man who was looking for his Christmas gift. When she gave the man 50 pence he complained that it wasn’t very much considering all the extra work he had to do at Christmas. The lady was rather taken aback and sharply replied that there was practically no extra work since she was the one single Christian living in the entire street.
The only other people who seemed to be celebrating Christmas were the Hindu family next door who had a small tree in their window. So the dustbin man went off with a flea in his ear.
I tell you this story not because those Jewish families in Stanmore weren’t celebrating Christmas but because the Hindu family next door was. And actually it is quite remarkable that all over the world you can find Christmas being celebrated in one form or another. Perhaps not in strongly Muslim countries, but certainly in places like India and Japan which have only small Christian populations.
Christmas has become a universal feast for all mankind because it celebrates a birth; not just the birth of an ordinary child but the birth of the Son of God. He came into this world to proclaim a Gospel of peace and love and forgiveness. He came, of course, not just to preach, but to live out the full meaning of these things. This led, as we know to his death on the Cross of Calvary. But never was that peace, love and forgiveness made more present that at the moment of his death when Christ’s sacrifice became the very means by which mankind was forgiven his transgressions and the way to eternal life opened up for us.
Let us rejoice in this Christmas season and once again resolve to live our lives by his Gospel. |
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Written by Abdul S Choudhury, Community Projects Officer
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Malcolm X sent a letter to his assistants in Harlem while he was at Hajj. In his letter he wrote that during his pilgrimage, he had eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass and slept on the same rug, while praying to the same God, with fellow Muslims whose eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blonde and whose skin was the whitest of white. Hajj (which is pilgrimage to Mecca) is one of the five pillars of Islam. The other four are declaring that there is only one God and that Muhammad is His messenger, fasting during the Arabic lunar month of Ramadan (in daylight hours only), paying annual charity (equivalent to 2.5% of one’s cash assets) and obligatory prayer (five times a day). Hajj need only be performed once in an adult person’s lifetime if they have the physical, mental and financial ability. Thinking back to when I performed my Hajj, I still remember the overwhelming sense of equality I felt living with three million other Muslim people that had travelled from all over the world for the same purpose. This pillar of Islam clearly demonstrates to me that Muslim people indeed constitute one body, as stated by Prophet Muhammad in his farewell sermon. Unfortunately, it is evident by the lack of peace in the world today (perhaps due to a lack of knowledge and understanding) the true virtues of unity may have been forgotten a little. We join in praying for unity and peace for our world.
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Counting down to Copenhagen |
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Written by Nigel Quarrell, Christian Aid
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Recently a band of local people met with Steve Webb MP at the Millennium Clock outside St Mary’s churchyard in Thornbury. In the last few weeks there have also been colourful rallies with hundreds of people gathering in Gloucester, Bristol and Stroud to lobby their MPs and civic leaders.
The campaigners were from every part of society, from all faiths and none. They spanned the generations and the variety of community groups in and around the county. So what has brought about this unusual alliance of common concern?
Just before Christmas the United Nations are calling together representatives from countries around the world to critical climate talks in the Danish capital Copenhagen. The campaigners were asking their MPs to do all they can to make sure that this conference will properly tackle the urgent issue of climate change.
It isn’t just Gloucestershire where people have come together in this way. Groups of concerned campaigners in constituencies right across the country have been lobbying their MPs.
All faiths have at their heart a concern and responsibility for creation and it is deeply encouraging to see such an expression of unity and commitment to such a vital cause on the streets of our own towns and cities. Perhaps we can all use this as an inspiration to do all we can as individuals, however seemingly insignificant, to guard our planet for ourselves and generations to come. Find out what you can do at www.christianaid.org.uk/actnow. |
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Written by The Venerable Geoffrey Sidaway, Archdeacon of Gloucester
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As I write this piece we are 3 days into a postal strike and according to Adam Crozier, head of the Royal Mail, if things aren’t settled by December people may finally decide to stop sending Christmas cards.
We decided long ago only to send cards to family and friends we won’t see on Christmas Day but I still love to send and receive cards because it is an important way of remembering and keeping in touch with people, especially those we don’t see very often.
Sire Henry Cole, founder of the Victoria and Albert Museum commissioned the first Christmas card in 1843 and I read somewhere that it recently sold for £22,250! So unique cards can become a long-term investment!
Early Christmas cards were not religious but cards based on the Nativity soon became a part of our culture. My own Christmas cards always need to feature some aspect of the stable scene – the defining event of western civilisation – take Christ out of Christmas and we have nothing left to celebrate. We’re also keen, if possible, to buy charity cards.
Most unappealing are e-mail Christmas cards but even they are probably better than the dreaded family circular which sometimes seem to be little more than a competition in one up-manship! You know the sort of thing I mean “James has sailed into Oxford with 9 straight A’s and Philippa has done terribly well and has just got her first Porsche”!
Victorian postmen, nicknamed “robins” because of their red uniforms, used to deliver cards on Christmas morning. This year if things aren’t sorted out it looks as if they might have downed tools halfway through Advent. Whatever – I hope you have a very Happy Christmas.
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Advent: Of Calendar, Candles and Wreaths |
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Written by Simon Bale
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Advent, always something between 22 and 28 days, begins this year on 29 November. Most people know a bit about Advent. Children have Advent calendars with windows to open each day till Christmas. Traditionally they unpacked day by day the Christmas story, though now they could tell almost any story and are almost bound to have sweets! Then there are candles with dates on, so you can burn the candle down till the 24th - important not to forget to blow it out or you can get days ahead. Then in churches and homes there is the Advent wreath, four candles (red or purple) for the four Sundays and a fifth (white or gold) for Christmas Day.
All this suggests a special time, worth marking, and with a strong element of countdown to it. Countdown to Christmas.
For some it might be a special time simply because it is feverish time, buying presents, sending cards, cooking for the festive season, one long mad rush, so you would be relieved when it’s over. For Christians it is a countdown to the celebration of a stupendous truth, that in the baby boy born at Bethlehem our gracious humble God was coming to make his home with us and share our human life. So stupendous it needs a countdown. So stupendous the more calendars, cards and wreaths the better! Enjoy Advent, make it special and start counting!
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Thought for the week
Rejoice at ChristmasOne year at Christmas time I visited a family in Stanmore which is a largely Jewish neighbourhood. The lady told me how that morning she was loudly awakened by a dustbin man who was looking for his...
News
Faith AuditThe South Gloucestershire Faith Forum has undertaken to complete an audit of work being done by faith groups in the communities in South Gloucester and ...
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Thought for the week