Dear friends,

 A very New Year to you all!

Only a short time ago we were singing wonderful Christmas Carols and many of us were visited by friends and family, and were enjoying parties, rich food and perhaps the smallest of ‘tipples’ now and again to welcome the joy of that period, to share gifts and to be grateful for small mercies.

As we begin 2024 our hearts must yearn for a better year.  A year without stress and anxiety, concerns about the cost of living and thoughts of war and violence that seem to surround us.  But we should never be downhearted because, as the American novelist, Isaac Marion said: We are where we are, however we got here. What matters is where we go next – and he is right!

Life is very much a journey, and on that journey, we take many different turns, make numerous choices, and meet new people as part of our coming to where we are at the moment.  On January 6th we think of a special journey made by the Magi, who were distinguished foreigners and specifically mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew and in the Christian tradition. They were philosophers who travelled for many days following the Star that led them to visit our Lord after his birth in Bethlehem, and they brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Traditionally, the Magi are referred to as the Three Kings, mainly because of the three gifts that were offered to Jesus the King of Kings, but there is no certainty that there were actually three of them.  That said, it does not prevent us enjoying the Epiphany hymn We three Kings of orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar.  This was our Lord’s Epiphany, his showing, his revelation to the gentiles to the whole world and not just to the Jewish nation.

This was the moment that the Son of God came for everyone.

The weather is much colder and we tend to insulate ourselves, wrapping up and wearing scarves but try not to be insular and cut yourselves off from one another.  Why not come to the coffee morning on Tuesdays and spend time with others enjoying a cake or some toast or tea cakes with a hot drink.  Even in such weather, or in times of loneliness, company and having a good chat is of great value.  Try it!

Let us look forward to the New Year with renewed hope and being grateful for the past but always anticipating new challenges and looking to the future to see what is to come in our lives and who might make the difference for us.

Our Lord is here and is with us.  May his peace be with you and may his blessings be upon you.

The Reverend Fr Ronald Croft

Dear friends,

So, we begin the month that commemorates the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, when all of the shops will be filled with tinsel, crackers, fairy lights and trees, all eager to entice you in and buy presents for the family.  Each year I hear people say: ‘too soon, far too soon for Christmas lights and windows with snowmen’.  Well, I used to have a similar view, though now changed a little, but not for the reasons you might expect!

The ‘Cinderella period’ that is eclipsed by early Christmas bargains, is the rather beautiful four weeks of Advent.  Advent is seemingly pushed aside in the rush for the great day on the 25th, but that is a shame.  I feel that the four weeks of Advent, which begins on Sunday 3rd December this year, is very important to all Christians throughout the world. 

‘Advent’, is derived from the Greek word, parousia and means ‘coming’, anticipating the arrival, or ‘advent’, of Jesus of Nazareth, the long-awaited Messiah and King, written about in the Old Testament.  Like many churches, in this country and elsewhere, St Hilda’s adopts the tradition of the Advent Ring.  The ring, as the name implies, is a circular shape and symbolises God’s infinite love for us – it is never-ending, just like the true Light of the World, Jesus, who leads us into eternal life with him.  The materials of the Advent wreath similarly lead us to reflect on the everlasting nature of God; traditionally, Advent wreaths have been made of evergreen leaves, such as pine or fir, which maintain their green colour beyond the season in which they are collected.  

The Ring has four candles placed in it, three are purple and the other pink and there is a centre candle that is white and is lit at Christmas.  The candles are lit progressively each Sunday and these represent Hope (week 1); Prophecy (week 2); Joy (week 3) and Peace (week 4).  Advent, like Lent is a penitential season and both help us to prepare for the great feasts of Easter and Christmas. 

There is enough in the world to be sorry about, not least the continuing battle grounds of the Ukraine, Gaza, and Israel but each of us have things in our own lives for which we are sorry and perhaps need to say so to almighty God and seek his forgiveness.

Christmas will come soon enough but do come to St Hilda’s and share in, not only Christmas Day but in Advent too. 

Like others, I look forward to Christmas Day, to celebrating the joy of Christ’s incarnation, manifest in a stable at Bethlehem, to the joy of the shepherds, and to see the faces of children and hearing about what presents they have received. 

God bless you all, and may you have a happy and prayerful Advent and Joyous Christmas.

The Reverend Fr Ronald Croft