A Christmas message from the Bishop of Connor

Friday December 18th 2015

The Bishop of Connor, the Rt Rev Alan Abernethy.

A Christmas Message from the Bishop of Connor, the Rt Rev Alan Abernethy, December 2015.

Climate change, air strikes, terrorist shootings and bombings, refugees, local political uncertainty and financial cuts; these are just some of the issues making the headlines. Somehow in the middle of all this our lives continue and Christmas preparations are made as usual, athough for some families the preparation is very different as they are trying to come to terms with the excruciating pain of death and loss.

There are many people trying to find somewhere to call home as they have had to escape war and violence. There are some people who are homeless because of their circumstances, they are not homeless people but people who have no home.

The birth of Jesus was in a dirty stable and he and his parents were to become refugees in Egypt to escape the jealousy of a king. It was the chaos of the first century world that this strange and beautiful birth took place. In a quiet and unobtrusive manner this incredible moment happened.

The chaos didn’t change but somehow and mysteriously the world would never be the same again. The light did shine in the darkness and the darkness has not put it out.

In the midst of the chaos and pain of our world may we be channels of that same light shining in the darkness offering hope and peace by our actions and not just our words. God’s greatest word was offered silently and beautifully in vulnerability and grace.

May you all know the joy and peace of the ‘word made flesh’ this Christmas.

+Alan