Dear Friends.......

As Advent approaches and Christmas draws near, we are surrounded by messages telling us that this should be the happiest and most wonderful time of the year.  I love the build up to the festive season but it does seem to get longer and longer every year.  As I write this in September, the shelves in the supermarkets are beginning to fill up with Christmas bits and bobs! Christmas cards have been available for several months.

For many, it is.  There is joy in gathering with family and friends, sharing

traditions, exchanging gifts, and celebrating the birth of Christ.

But we also know that Christmas is not easy for everyone.  Myself included.

For some, there will be an empty chair at the table.  For others, worries about

health, relationships, loneliness, finances, or the future can feel even heavier at this time of year.  While the world tells us to be merry and bright, many carry burdens that are hidden from view.

The wonderful message of Advent is that God comes to meet us exactly as we are.  We do not have to pretend that everything is perfect.  The Christ child was not born into comfort and certainty, but into a world that needed hope, peace, joy and love just as much as ours does today.

So, as we journey through Advent together, let us be gentle with ourselves and with one another.  Let us take time to notice those who may be struggling, to offer a kind word, a listening ear, or a simple act of friendship. May this Advent be a season not only of preparation, but of compassion.  May we make room in our celebrations for kindness, and understanding, remembering that the greatest gift of Christmas is not found under a tree, but in the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." 

(John 1:5)

Wishing you all a wonderful build up to the Christmas period. Take each day as it

comes, God is looking out for you.

Lynne Skinner

Taken from the November edition of The Record