Advent and Christmas services:

Sunday 27th November 11.15am – Advent 1 – All Age worship with speaker from St Petroc’s

Sunday 4th December 11.15am Advent 2 – Holy Communion

Sunday 11th December 11.15am – Advent 3 – Morning Worship, Gift service.

Tuesday 13th December 7pm Carols by Candlelight with the Golberdon Girls choir, followed by mulled wine and mince pies.

Sunday 18th December 11.15am – Advent 4 – Book of Common prayer, morning worship

Sunday 25th December 11.15am – Family worship with Holy Communion.

Sunday 1st January 11.15 am – Holy Communion

OK – so John Lewis have done it again. This morning, my wife Pam and I caught sight of their 2016 Christmas TV commercial. It first brought a smile and then had us in stitches of laughter. Have you seen it yet? I think it’s absolutely brilliant as a piece of creative art – the storyline, the perfectly caught mannerisms (not sure if that’s the right word) of the boxer dog and other animals, the attention to detail as the background music is cut for 2 seconds when the action is observed from outside the garden, the human reactions to the unfolding story. It is truly a well crafted 2 minute film. And then comes the punchline – “Gifts that everyone will love”. Having spent some of my corporate business life in sales and marketing, the John Lewis advert plays right into my inner zone of admiration and appreciation for something perfectly done.

That’s the thing about the Christmas season. We enter into a world where we can encounter all sorts of things that have the feel good factor – Christmas trees, Christmas lights, log fires, presents, sumptuous food, snow filled scenes on Christmas cards – and if we don’t experience them in our own homes at least we can see them on TV. And the Christmas season itself seems to start earlier with each year that passes – it’s not uncommon to find our thoughts being directed towards Christmas from 1st November onwards, just after Halloween has been ticked off as done on the retail calendar.

I have great respect for John Lewis as an organisation, and I’m thankful for the smile and laughter that they created in me through their TV advert. But I’m also aware that the sentiments and scenarios portrayed by the advert, and others, do not match up to the reality of many people’s lives. It’s certainly not the fault of John Lewis that they position themselves for premium products, service and customers – that’s their choice and it works well for them from a business perspective. The reality however is that most families will not be able to do their Christmas shopping at John Lewis, for their reality is about making ends meet on very limited budgets, or being consumed with other struggles and worries. I say this not to chastise John Lewis or make anyone feel guilty about enjoying their own Christmas treats – it’s just an observation on how things are.

It’s at this point that I stop to reflect on my own calling to be a Christian – to be a follower of Jesus Christ. These days I’m not so caught up in the nativity scenes of Jesus in the crib attended by Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, Kings, sheep and cows. While I recognise the great truths that are being sung out in the many carol services that I tend to be at, it’s not this that brings a contented excitement to the Christian journey that I’m on. Rather it’s the many times throughout a year when I see God reach into a person’s life to bring something new – perhaps some wisdom filled insight into a troubled situation, perhaps a deep seated peace amidst an engulfing health issue, perhaps encouragement and clearing the way for a change in direction, perhaps the freeing from a destructive addiction. The list could go on and on because that’s what God does. In the midst of what can be difficult times, He gives gifts that everyone will love. And when I think about such things it creates within me a smile and laughter – not just for Christmas, but for all year round. Now that really fills my inner zone of admiration and appreciation.

Jesus is great and God is for you.

May this Christmas season bring you joy, whatever your circumstances.

Rev Tony Stephens