So much of our Christmas traditions are designed for the northern hemisphere. Like Christmas lights that we have to keep the kids up way past their bedtime in order to actually see. Or Santa working out alternative entry points for the lack of chimney and wearing a big furry coat in the middle of summer (good thing most malls have air-conditioning). We’re forced to live with or translate these northern hemisphere traditions into our own culture.
The good thing about this process is it forces you to consider what’s really essential and what are just cultural trimmings.
You won’t be surprised to hear me say that Jesus, the Christ, is at the heart of Christmas. And it’s pretty hard to argue when it’s both a celebration of his birth, and it has his name in it. He’s come to bring peace to a messy world – peace with God by forgiveness of sins and then peace and restoration to the world which he’ll bring about on the last day. All across the world, Jesus offer of forgiveness and peace bursts out across cultures to everyone (even ones that don’t traditionally celebrate Christmas). Have you put your trust in Jesus, have you received his forgiveness and peace?
And then do your Christmas trimmings help you celebrate this peace and this Saviour Jesus, or are they just a messy distraction from it. Christmas trimmings are a great chance to celebrate Jesus and have fun. But don’t miss the heart of Christmas – don’t miss Jesus!
Tag: Christmas
As we prepare for Christmas you’ll be madly shopping, wrapping, cooking, cleaning and much much more. But how will you prepare your heart for this wonderful season? Advent is a great time and Christmas is a wonderful celebration – but its easy to get distracted from the real meaning of Christmas – the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ who has come to bring peace with God through forgiveness of our sins. Perhaps you could pick up an advent reading plan and spend some time reading the Bible and praying each morning and/or evening to re-orient your heart and your life towards Jesus Christ.
There are lots of free resources to help us prepare our hearts for Christmas during Advent. Here are three that you can choose from (but there are many more out there):
- CEP Advent Bible readings printable – simplest and easiest to use: https://www.cepstore.com.au/
Content/Images/uploaded/Bible% 20Reading%20Plan_161116.pdf - Common Grace Advent Daily Email Devotional – ‘Being Present’: http://www.commongrace.org.
au/advent - Great to do with kids, this free printable Advent Calendar will take some work, and often refers to the Jesus Storybook Bible, which will be difficult if you don’t own a copy. But it’s great for engaging children:
http://www.faithgateway.com/jesus-storybook-bible-advent- calendar-printable/
We had the great joy and privilege of sharing this good news 
with Wilton Public School SRE students on Wednesday at our Christmas assembly. Our Scripture teachers have done such a great job all year and it was great to be able to finish off with a bang. Pray for a refreshing break from teaching and for the message to sink into the hearts of those who heard it.
Ben
Christmas is coming! Christmas is coming!
You might be delaying the decorations and side-stepping the shops, or perhaps you’re Christmas tree has already been up for a month. Either way, at the heart of Christmas is the good news that ‘a Saviour has been born to you, he is Christ the Lord’.
Christmas is one of the best opportunities all year to share the great news that sins can be forgiven, hope found and eternal life secured by trusting in Jesus Christ as Lord. Please be praying for the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus with your family, neighbours, friends and workmates. Then be brave and take those opportunities as they present themselves.
I just received 5,000 postcard invitations to our Christmas festivities. Starting this Sunday, will you help me pop them into letterboxes and into the hands of those who might join us to celebrate Christmas?
Yours in Christ,
Ben
17/10/2016
PRESS RELEASE: 100 Shoe boxes filled with love
Wilton Anglican Church is aiming to send 100 gift filled shoe boxes through ‘Operation Christmas Child’ to children in extreme poverty throughout the world.
For most of these children the shoe box will be the first gift they have ever received – while many children in Australia will receive an abundance of gifts this Christmas. It’s really easy to pack a shoe-box, and provides a great opportunity for the whole family to experience the joy of giving.
‘We participated in Operation Christmas Child last year, but this year we’re offering more people from the community the chance to join in,’ said Kate Bernoth, one of the organisers.
‘Residents of Wilton can simply log on to our Church website and fill out the form to request an empty Shoe box delivered to their door. People further afield can pick one up from the Church on Sunday evenings, or just pack a regular shoebox according to the guidelines on the Operation Christmas Child Website,’ said Kate.
‘Once packed, the shoe boxes can be delivered to our Collection and Celebration Service at 5pm on the 6th November. Or just delivered to the Church before that time.’
Pastor Ben Boardman said that ‘Christmas is a time of celebration and great joy – God’s great love is shown to us through the gift of Jesus coming into the world. So it makes sense to be a season of gift giving and generosity. We have received so much from God, and therefore we have a heart to give.’
Wilton Anglican Church meets 5pm every Sunday and is welcoming to all.
For more info and to participate in the program just go to: https://pwac.org.au/occ
