St. Cross Church ​Clayton, Manchester
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Christmas 2018

A message from Fr. Chris this Christmas season ...

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

As we approach the fourth Sunday of Advent and stand on the brink of Christmas, our Advent journey brings us into contact with two expectant mothers, one old, one young.
Elizabeth is six months along; Mary, is newly pregnant. The moment Elizabeth is greeted by Mary, the effect is so powerful that her unborn child, John the Baptist, jumps for joy.  This prompts Elizabeth to pronounce a joyful blessing on Mary. ‘Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb’. It is in this exchange that we are reminded that Jesus, like us, began his life journey as a tiny, bundle of cells.
And yet He is also like no other. John’s Gospel tell us that this tiny bundle of cells was “the Word became flesh” and that the Word was always there, a beautiful powerful divine energy. God-Who-Is-Word decided that to understand how magnificently loving and caring God-Who-Is-Word truly is, He would send Himself to earth as God-Who-Is-Word, but also God who is Human. Jesus is the bridge by which God comes to earth and people come to heaven.  
God enacts His plan, not outside or even over and against human history but through it. The mode and announcement of his plan reveals Who God is. It is therefore no coincidence that the announcement of Jesus’s birth is made first to shepherds living in the fields. Shepherding was a profession most likely to be filled from the bottom rung of the social ladder, by persons who could not find what was regarded as decent work. Society stereotyped shepherds as liars, degenerates, and thieves. The testimony of shepherds was not admissible in court, and many towns had ordinances barring shepherds from their city limits. The religious establishment took a particularly dim view of shepherds since the regular exercise of shepherds' duties kept them from observing the Sabbath and rendered them ritually unclean. Shepherds were classed with tax collectors and prostitutes, persons who were "sinners" by virtue of their vocation.           
In sending angels to shepherds God demonstrates that He came in Jesus for every single one of us, including the very worst of sinners, including those of us who have given up on God and given up on themselves.   
If we allow it, whoever we are, whatever the circumstances of our lives, irrespective of how far we may have fallen, the incarnation can become a present reality in our lives and it alone holds the promise of new life.  Of the incarnate Word, John declares, “to all who receive him, who believe in his name, he gives power to become children of God, who are born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.”
Christ still comes into this world.  Christmas still happens. It didn't just happen once, it happens all the time. When the Word became flesh—when God joined himself to humanity—he did so not simply as a gesture of love but as a universal invitation. The real gift of the incarnation is that through the Word-become-flesh God offers us the possibility of becoming his sons and daughters. We, who would always be outsider, are invited into His intimate love.
If we respond, this small baby, the very baby that made John the Baptist leap with joy, will fill our whole world and take us with Him in life, through death and into all eternity.
Christmas has this invitation at its very heart. So when Christmas day comes, we will do well to remember and proclaim that the most valuable gift came to us over two thousand years ago. A baby not gift-wrapped but aglow with the energy that is the Word made flesh and which has the power to redeem us.
This is the gift, the Word made flesh who dwells among us, and surrounds us with glory.  There can be no better news than this.  This is the Christmas Gospel. 

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  • Home
  • Covid-19 Info & Updates
    • Latest Message from Fr Chris
    • Blog - Coronavirus - Latest Info & Updates
    • Helplines & Support
  • Worship from Home
    • This Week's Live Service
    • Christmas Day Live Service
    • Deanery Worship >
      • Deanery Christmas Online Act of Worship
      • Deanery All Saints Act of Worship
      • Deanery Pentecost Service
    • Remembrance Sunday 2020
  • Advent Santa Sack Foodbank Appeal
  • Services
    • Worship for Everyone
  • Events
    • Ash Wednesday
    • Past Events >
      • Holy Week & Easter at St Cross
      • 2019 >
        • Coffee Morning
        • Spring Craft Market
        • Mothering Sunday
        • Lent, Holy Week & Easter 2019 >
          • Lenten Stations of the Cross
          • Easter Egg Tombola
          • Holy Week & Easter Services Explained
          • Palm Sunday
          • Maundy Thursday
          • Good Friday Liturgy
          • Easter Vigil
          • Easter Day
        • Songs for Summer Concert
        • Summer Fair
        • Harvest Festival
        • Parish International Day
        • Pet Blessing Service
        • Christmas at St. Cross 2019 >
          • Christmas Craft Market
          • Christmas Fair
          • Advent Santa Sack Foodbank Appeal
          • Christmas Tree Fesitival
          • Deanery Christmas Tea Dance
          • Christingle Service
          • Crib Service
          • Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Eucharists
      • 2018 >
        • Mothering Sunday 2018
        • Holy Week & Easter 2018 >
          • Holy Week & Easter Services Explained
          • Lent Course
          • Palm Sunday
          • Stations of the Cross
          • Maundy Thursday
          • Children's Service
          • Good Friday Liturgy
          • Easter Vigil
          • Easter Day
        • Summer Fair 2018
        • Heritage Weekend
        • Harvest Festival
        • Child Friendly Church Award Presentation & Little Stars' 1st Birthday
        • Pet Blessing Service
        • Shoebox Appeal
        • Christmas Craft Market
        • Remembrance Sunday 2018
        • Christmas at St. Cross 2018 >
          • Advent Santa Sack Foodbank Appeal
          • Christmas Fair
          • Advent Course
          • Deanery Christmas Tea Dance
          • Christingle Service
          • 9 Lessons & Carols
          • Crib Service
          • Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Eucharists
      • 2017 >
        • Women's World Day of Prayer 2017
        • Spring Coffee Morning 2017
        • Thy Kingdom Come Prayerwalk
        • Summer Fair
        • Heritage Weekend
        • Renaissance in Concert
        • Confirmation Service
        • Pet Blessing Service
        • Remembrance Sunday 2017
        • Christmas at St. Cross >
          • Christmas Fair
          • Advent Santa Sack Foodbank Appeal
          • Advent Course
          • Deanery Christmas Tea Dance
          • Christingle service
          • 9 Lessons & Carols
          • Crib Service
          • Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Eucharists
      • 2016 >
        • Easter 2016
        • Harvest Festival Appeal 2016
        • Remembrance Sunday 2016
        • Christmas Fair 2016
      • 150th Year Celebrations >
        • 150th Year Memorabilia
  • Rector's Reflections
    • 2019 >
      • Reflections on Holy Week & Easter
      • Lenten Reflections
    • 2018 >
      • Christmas Reflections
      • Reflections on our Child Friendly Church Award and Children in Church Life
      • Reflections at Pentecost
      • Holy Week & Easter Reflections
      • Lent Reflections
      • Reflections at Epiphany
    • 2017 >
      • Christmas Reflections
      • Reflections on Advent
      • Taking Care of God's Vineyard >
        • The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
      • Introducing MAP through Romans
      • 'Growing Our Mission'
      • 'Ordinary Time' Pt. 2
      • 'Ordinary Time'
      • Eastertide
      • Holy Week & Easter
  • Reflections for Advent
  • Baptisms & Marriages
  • Room Hire
  • Community
    • Community News
    • Get Involved >
      • Volunteering
      • Fundraising >
        • 150th Year Memorabilia
    • Foodbank
    • St. Cross Singers
    • St. Cross Little Stars Sunday School
    • Deanery Dancing Lessons
    • Friday Film Nights >
      • Film Nights 2018
    • Bible Study Group
    • Links >
      • Neighbouring Churches >
        • Ardwick Deanery Churches
        • Churches Nearby - CofE
        • Nearby Churches - Other Denominations
      • Nearby Community Organisations
    • Church Centre Activities
    • Plans to re-open Barrington Street Community Centre
    • Manchester Arena Attack >
      • Prayers for Manchester
      • Messages from the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester and Fr. Chris
  • Stewardship & Donations
    • Stewardship (Regular Giving)
    • Donations
  • Mission Action Planning
    • Preliminary Stage >
      • Preliminary Stage: Part 1 >
        • Part 1: Review
    • Stage 1: Review >
      • Stage 1: Parts 2-6
    • Stage 2: Create a Vision and Prioritse >
      • Stage 2: Part 7
    • Stage 3: Plan >
      • Stage 3: Part 8
    • Stage 4: Do
    • Our MAP
  • Blog
  • About
    • Tour St. Cross >
      • Jigsaws of St. Cross
    • Who's Who
    • Church Repairs & Improvements
    • History of St. Cross
    • Safeguarding
    • Data Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Newsletter Sign-Up