Ashampstead

Dear Friends,

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November is a month for remembering. As we gather for Remembrance, we give thanks for the courage and sacrifice of those who gave so much for the freedoms we enjoy today. Jesus once said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” These words speak powerfully of the love and sacrifice we remember each November. On Sunday 8 November, we will gather for our Remembrance services in each of our three churches at 10.50am. Please come and join us as we stand together in gratitude, remember those who have died, and pray for peace. Their sacrifice deserves to be remembered, and the hope of a more peaceful world remains a longing we share.

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For we know that the need for peace is far from belonging only to the pages of history. It is difficult to ignore the weariness of our world today. The news brings fresh reports of conflict and violence, suffering and uncertainty. Closer to home, too, many carry burdens that others may never see and it feels as though so many of us have had to face difficulties this year. And yet, as the nights draw in and Advent and Christmas approaches, there is a wonderful promise waiting to be heard again: “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.”

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At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who comes to meet us in the midst of our weary world. Through his life, death and resurrection, he has opened the way to God and given us a hope that the headlines cannot extinguish. This is not a promise that life will always be easy, but an invitation to discover a deeper, steadier joy: the assurance that we are not alone, that love has come among us, and that even in the darkest night, the light shines.

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So, whatever this year has held for you, we would love you to join us this Christmas. Come and sing carols at The Bell, share in the warmth of a candlelit carol service, or perhaps Midnight Communion. There will be familiar songs, mince pies, friendship and, above all, the good news of great joy. Perhaps that's the antidote we need. Come as you are. Come and rejoice with us, as together we discover afresh the thrill of hope that Christmas brings.

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Love, Rev Grant​​​​​