St Margaret's Church Prestwich

This month’s letter comes from the keyboard of Rev Christine:

I pray that each of you has experienced a joyful Christmas, surrounded by family and friends. I also trust you have enjoyed all the traditional trimmings, taken time to celebrate the Christmas story, and had the chance to reconnect with those you may not see often.

As we step into this New Year, may I wish each one of you a very Happy New Year, as the days grow longer and we begin to look forward to the promise of brighter days to come.  However, let’s not be too hasty to put away those Christmassy decorations as the celebrations are not yet over.  January apparently is also “Dog Walking Month” for those of us with dogs to keep exercising! However, more importantly for us as a church, on 6th January we welcome the coming of the Magi, Wisemen or Kings, whichever is your favourite way of remembering them. 

When you read about the Magi, there are many interesting details surrounding them.  As well as the names given to them, there are questions about their origins, and even speculation about their occupations.  It would take some time for me to share all the information that there is here, but it is also interesting to note the account of the Wisemen only appears in Matthew’s Gospel.  In fact, no-one knows exactly how many men there were.  That’s just another mystery.  What matters most is that Matthew tells us they visited Jesus and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh in Bethlehem.  It is also understood they travelled a great distance from somewhere in the East.  This reminds me of those who, over Christmas, have travelled far to be with loved ones.  The Christmas season is a time for remembering, sharing food, presents and most of all sharing love, because love came down at Christmas.   Reminding me of a poem by Christina Rossetti (1885), but must this spirit of love be reserved only for Christmas? 

Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine,
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and Angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine,
Worship we our Jesus,
But wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,

Love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.

Wouldn’t it be a wonderful if we carried that spirit of love throughout the year everywhere we go, keeping Christmas in our hearts every day?  Remembering the joy brought by the Christ child who gave his life for us all.  We may not “wish it could be Christmas everyday,” as in the song by Wizzard, but for a New Year’s resolution why not, as the song says, put a smile on someone’s face and shine with the light of Jesus, serving as a beacon of hope, love and peace in a troubled world to those around us?

God’s love and blessings to you all this New Year.  

Rev. Christine