In his first Christmas message to parishes, Bishop Jonathan offers his thanks for the warm welcome they are and will be giving to their communities this year.
In a confused and sometimes scary world, he invites us to be a people who offer hope, because, 'we know that ‘God's light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.’
Read Bishop Jonathan's message in full below or download a copy
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The real headline story of Christmas: Hope
Long dark nights, cold often dreary days. It can feel pretty gloomy at this time of year.
Add to that all that's happening in our world: the war in Ukraine, the cost of living, the climate crisis, Covid and now other health concerns rearing their heads.
It can all feel pretty depressing.
But as Christians, we know that's not the whole story and it's not even the main story.
Our headline news is the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ and the promise he brings to our world, that God is with us. In the words of Saint John's Gospel, ‘the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.’
This is the central message of the Christian faith.
Jesus Christ offers hope for our lives and hope for our world. He brings the assurance of God's love for us and the promise of God's light to guide us.
Our task as followers of Jesus is to offer that hope to the world. To tell people about the birth of a saviour and to show God's love in practical ways to those around us.
Thank you for all that you are doing and will do in your churches in the coming season of Christmas.
Let's be above all, a people who offer hope in a confused and sometimes scary world, because we know that ‘God's light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.’
So may God be with you through the season of Christmas and may God's blessing rest upon you now and in the year ahead.
Amen
Jonathan Gibbs
Bishop of Rochester
December 2022