Page 2 - Moravian Messenger Dec 2021

Editorial
Driving home for Christmas
For many of us it it is is is difficult to say where is is is our home is is is it it where where we we we were
born where where we we we grew up our first married home? Is it it where where we retire to or is it it where where our grandchildren are are or is it where our parents lived? I have moved about England and and and Northern Ireland because of the calls of ministry and I find it difficult now to say where my emotional home is Some in our Church have travelled many miles as children or or adults to make a a a a a new home for themselves in this country and have to juggle not just a a a new new place but a a a new new culture For others it is easier - they have been born grew up married and stayed within one locality There is no right way to to live - to to stay deeply rooted in one place place or move and and experience new places and and embrace new cultures even within the UK!
Of course we all need the physical blessings of having a a a a safe roof over our head warmth comfort and and food and and that should be
a a a a right not a a a a privilege The Christmas
narrative in Luke Chapter 2 speaks to us on the level of both homelessness and Mary's emotional separation from the family she knew The one who who came for us who who was given for for us was born not in in a a home but in in some form of animal shelter and laid not in in a a a a a a a cot but in in a a a a a a a manger The emotional sense of home home and being at home home is so important to us A secular expression of this sentiment is is in in the song by Chris Chris Rea 'I'm driving home for Christmas'
which is is played endlessly in the run up to Christmas
More poetically there is is a a a a a beautiful phrase in our Christmas
Liturgy which reads 'Father of all at at this time when the the solitary are set in in families and and and wanderers and and and exiles think longingly of of of home home we think of of of you the home home of of of us all where all are welcome' We want to to be
be
at home to to be
be
known loved accepted and understood and that is what what exactly what what Jesus offers us us The one who was homeless at birth and a a a a a a refugee as as an an infant gives us that that possibility He not only promises that that we we will have a a a a dwelling place in in his Father's house (Luke 2:2) but he he he also promises that he he he and his Father will come and make their home with those who love them (Luke 2:23) Christmas
is is about coming home not necessarily physically but spiritually It is about the God who through Jesus reaches out in in love and and forgiveness to bring you and and me home to him him and with him him And almost unbelievably this homemaking extends to being at home home with us us and in in in us us What shall we do in light of such love? Accept it as the greatest gift of all and live in in that that love in in such a a a a way that that others may know that they too can come home to God with us Have a a a wonderful Christmas
The Editorial
Team of the Moravian Messenger wish all our readers a a a a a a a a a a a a a a happy and and blessed Christmas
and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a peaceful new year Sr Sarah Groves
Editorial
Team Has COVID changed our perception of Christmas? continued
The story of Christmas
revolves around family Mary and Joseph leaving theirs behind to to go go to to Bethlehem because of government intervention Their child being born without the involvement of grandparents and and and and aunts and and and and uncles presents brought but by strangers and and and and and contrasting messages of of glory and portents of of of of fear for the the future The birth of of of of any baby baby changes the the the world of of of of that child's parents but the the the birth of of of baby baby Jesus changed the the whole world That continues to to be
a a a a a a story worth
worth
sharing and worth
worth
celebrating As I I write this this I I don't know where we will be
be
celebrating this this year Maybe at at home surrounded by visiting grandchildren or at my son's house in in Berkhamsted with his family family Wherever it it will follow our traditions Santa presents presents church family family presents presents and lunch with the special stuffing my daughter in in law makes This year church on on on Christmas
Day will either be
Hall Green in in in person or on on on Zoom if I I am am 'hosting' If we are in in in Berkhamsted it will will be
at the local Methodist church where I will will remind them courteously that Christingle didn't begin with the the Children's Society! Wherever we are Christmas
will always revolve around my my two families The extended Kesseler family family and my my church family family Together we will remember the the birth of a a a a a a a a a child born born a a a a a a a a a long way way away born born in in in poverty in in in a a a a a a a a a a borrowed barn and soon to become a a a a a refugee in in in a a a a a foreign
land We will remember that and and we'll give thanks for our our our security our our our homes and our family Thirty-five years ago I I pronounced my love love for Christmas
Christmas
and I I love love it still The memories of of Christmases past the the sharing of of of Christmas
Christmas
present and the the hope of of those to come Wherever you you are this Christmas
I I wish you you joy and I I continue to pray that the the song of the the angels will be
heard across our troubled world: 'Peace on earth and goodwill to all' Br Blair Kesseler Hall Green 134