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Tag Archives: Christmas
Christmas Eve: All hands were drunk
Christmas tells us that God loves us so passionately that God became human, and so today we sing songs of joy. As we sing we also remember the lessons this baby grew up to teach us: to love God, our neighbours, and our enemies; to care for the poorest in society; to welcome those society most excludes. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged carols, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Luke 2:1-14, nativity, shepherds
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Reflection: Uncertainty on Christmas Eve
Now Omicron has happened and finally, after almost two years, I know not to make any predictions at all. I have not only no idea what 2022 will bring, I have no idea what will happen tomorrow. But, really, that has always been true. We may think we live in a stable, predictable, world, but at every moment the unexpected can shatter it. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Christmas, Christmas Eve, covid19, Luke 2:1-20, Mary, Unexpected, Year of Luke
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Reflection: The light still shines
Let those of us who can join the shepherds, and glorify and praise God for all we have heard and seen. But to those who are still living in deep darkness, I offer you this small light: the God who loves you is always with you. May you know that you are held in God’s loving embrace, today and always. Amen. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Christmas, covid19, Isaiah 9:2-7, Luke 2:1-20, nativity, pandemic, Psalm 96
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Sermon: Christmas Day
Let’s remember those ‘copping the hypocrisy, racism and hate’; those abused by church leaders; LGBTIQ teachers and students at religious schools. Let’s remember that in each one of these people we see Jesus’ face. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Christmas, Christmas Day, Hope, Joy, love, Maureen Watson, Peace
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Sermon: God as one of us
‘Christmas day: Our Goose pye was eat with great approbation and in the Evening all hands were as Drunk as our forefathers usd to be upon the like occasion’. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Christmas, Holidays, Incarnation, J.S.Manifold, Maureen Watson, Poetry, Scotland
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Sermon: Mary the Magnificent
There’s no doubt that Mary and Jesus are mother and son; both of them are radical re-makers of the world. Neither of them is particularly meek and mild. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Advent 4, Christmas, Colm Toibin, Gospel according to Luke, Justice, Luke 1:39-55, Magnificat, Mary, Roman Catholic Church
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For the newsletter: Let your light shine
Have you heard of ‘virtue signalling? The British journalist and author James Bartholomew claims to have coined it in The Spectator in 2015 after realising that Victorians gave much more to charity than contemporary British people do. He says that … Continue reading
Posted in Random Musings, Reflection
Tagged charity, Christmas, Christmas Bowl, do-gooders, giving, Uniting, virtue signalling, wowsers
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Sermon: Be loved.
Asking for help is seen as weakness and people who need help are often despised. Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged carols, Christmas, Christmas Day, Isaiah 9:2-7, Luke 2:1-20, nativity, UnitingCare, welfare, Year of Matthew
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The Joy of Giving at Christmas (and I’m serious about that title)
I may pretend I’m a ‘Bah! Humbug!’ Scrooge, but, really, I’m the Scrooge who wakes up on Christmas morning and goes on a massive shopping spree. Continue reading