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< Here is our Christmas Countdown Clock! Christmas is here! We wish you a Merry Christmas, a happy, blessed peaceful Christmas. Thanks for journeying through Advent with us, we have now arrived, ready to worship the Child. May God bless you as you Worship and Celebrate. The Word became a man and lived among us. We saw his glory -- the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father. The Word was full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Christmas is Here! Here is a picture of Santa's village in Lapland - click on the picture to go to the Norad site where they track Santa on his journey round the world - enjoy!. Here are some things to do tonight - enjoy! See the Christmas Story told with simple animation - opens in a new window Visit the Nativity story told simply for children - opens in a new window The Magi and the Christmas Story! The Christmas story is fascinating, wonderful, full of mystery, and still touches our hearts, but most importantly it changes hearts. We have discovered lots of things on our Advent journey, it has been fun, interesting, thought provoking and a learning experience, all of it designed to bring us every closer to the Christ Child. Twenty years ago people were getting ready for Christmas when Pan Am Flight 103 fell out of the sky onto the town of Lockerbie. As a result of a bomb on board all 243 passengers and 16 crew members and 11 people in Lockerbie, south Scotland, were killed as large sections of the plane fell in and around the town. No one was ready for the bomb, the plane crash, the pilots, the passengers, the people in Lockerbie or the emergency services – no one was ready. Twenty years later the relatives of those killed are still not ready for life, they are still waiting for answers and justice and their lives have never been the same since. It seems that they will have to go through more revelations and appeals, wondering if they will ever get to the truth. This has been a difficult year for many people, with the Credit Crunch, Billions, Trillions lost on the money markets, we are now in recession, companies in receivership and closing, millions out of work and by the look of things many more will follow next year. Things will get worse before they get better. What will the Church say, or do to help? Wrong question I think, what will we as members of the Church do? Maybe we have a chance to get ready for the new year as we encounter the Christ child anew this year. On our journey we looked at Mary, the shepherds, the innkeeper’s wife, none of them were ready to welcome the Child, but we have the benefit of 2000 years of history and Love. The Wise men discovered the King of Kings because they were paying attention, they took action, and they refused to allow distractions to keep them from their course. They had come to worship the Messiah . . . . and nothing was going to stop them. Why put in all this effort? Because an encounter with Jesus changes you. It changed the Magi. Look at what happened to them when they met Jesus. They rejoiced when they saw the star leading them to Jesus. They knew they were on the right course. Seeing Jesus was all the Magi had hoped it would be and so much more. And when they saw Him . . . when they came into His presence they knew they had found the one they had been looking for all their lives. They discovered joy. When you read the story of the Shepherds you see the same thing . . . they were filled with joy after seeing Jesus. The same can be true for you 2000 years later, because a real encounter with Jesus is not an academic pursuit . . . it is personal. Jesus is the one we have been looking for. He is the one brings the forgiveness we thought was not possible. He is the one who gives the hope you thought didn't exist He is the one who fills the empty and lonely heart He is the one who affirms the value of those who think they are worthless He is the one who brings life beyond the grave On this Christmas Day His arms are open. He invites you to come to Him. And if you do, you too will find the one you've been looking for all your life. The Magi worshipped. Now this doesn't mean they sang a couple of hymns and took an offering. And it doesn't mean they sang a chorus over and over again. It means they quietly honoured the Christ child. They opened their hearts to Him. They presented Him gifts and they also presented themselves. Worship is acknowledging Him as someone unique, special, powerful. Worship is different once you meet the Christ child of Bethlehem. No longer is worship about form, or the familiar, or the ancient . . . it's about someone. It's no longer about learning facts. . . it's getting better acquainted with Him. This Christmas we have an opportunity to find Jesus for real . . . and then perhaps for the first time we will have a reason (and a desire) to worship in spirit and truth. The final part of our story about the Magi tells us that they returned to their home by a different route. If you remember the story, they were supposed to return and make a report to Herod. But after meeting Jesus the angel informed them of Herod's desire to kill this baby. They changed their course. People who have met Jesus today also change their course. They do so, not because they are required to do so. They do so because for the first time in their lives, the way has become clear. They know who to trust. Many people are afraid of a commitment to anything, far less Jesus. They are afraid they will "have to" change. But that's not really true. As a result of meeting Jesus, you will be ABLE to change. When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and princes are at home, When the shepherds are back with their flock, The work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner, To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among brothers and Sisters, and to make music in the heart. Someone said the Ten best gifts you can give are: HUGS . . . to someone who is lonely. LOVE . . . to someone who has nothing to give in return. PATIENCE . . . to someone who is struggling with life. FREEDOM . . . . to someone who needs to find his own destiny. GUIDANCE. . .to someone drifting in a sea of anxiety. UNDERSTANDING . . . to someone who is confused. TOLERANCE . . .to someone who doesn't see things as you do. KINDNESS . . .to someone in pain. FORGIVENESS . . .to someone you feel has harmed you. SOFTNESS . . .to someone who has not yet removed his hard shell. This Christmas why not give at least one of these gifts to someone, and if you are brave why not try for them all! The change that Jesus makes in a life is not a burdensome change . . . .it is refreshing. It is not "having to do something we don't want to do." It's the ability to make the changes we thought were not possible. So, what will you do this Christmas? Will you simply go through the motions, immersing yourself in the celebration and come away unaffected? Or will you learn from the mysterious Persian travelers? Will you stay alert and make an effort to discover the real Jesus and come away transformed? The choice you make will determine whether you have a Merry Christmas or whether you celebrate the Birthday of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Something more things to do today: This text will be replaced by the flash music player. Listen to the Story; The Little Fir Tree. Here are all the images used in the Advent calendar. While you watch you can listen to the Carol - Away in a Manger. Nativity - Away in a Manger Read our Christmas story: Christmas is for Love! Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly covered packages. But, mostly Christmas is for love. I had not believed this until a small elfin like pupil with wide innocent eyes and soft rosy cheeks gave me a wondrous gift one Christmas. Matthew was a 10 year old orphan who lived with his aunt, a bitter, middle aged woman greatly annoyed with the burden of caring for her dead sister's son. She never failed to remind young Matthew, if it hadn't been for her generosity, he would be a vagrant, homeless waif. Still, with all the scolding and chilliness at home, he was a sweet and gentle child. I had not noticed Matthew particularly until he began staying after class each day [at the risk of arousing his aunt's anger so I learned later] to help me straighten up the room. We did this quietly and comfortably, not speaking much, but enjoying the solitude of that hour of the day. When we did talk, Matthew spoke mostly of his mother. Though he was quite young when she died, he remembered a kind, gentle, loving woman who always spent time with him. As Christmas drew near however, Matthew failed to stay after school each day. I looked forward to his coming, and when the days passed and he continued to scamper hurriedly from the room after class, I stopped him one afternoon and asked him why he no longer helped me in the room. I told him how I had missed him, and his large brown eyes lit up eagerly as he replied, 'Did you really miss me?' I explained how he had been my best helper, 'I was making you a surprise,' he whispered confidentially. 'It's for Christmas.' With that, he became embarrassed and dashed from the room. He didn't stay after school any more after that. Finally came the last school day before Christmas. Matthew crept slowly into the room late that afternoon with his hands concealing something behind his back. 'I have your present,' he said timidly when I looked up. 'I hope you like it.' He held out his hands, and there lying in his small palms was a tiny wooden box. 'It's beautiful, Matthew. Is there something in it?' I asked opening the top to look inside. 'Oh you can't see what's in it,' he replied, 'and you can't touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights and safe when you're all alone.' I gazed into the empty box. 'What is it, Matthew' I asked gently, 'that will make me feel so good?' 'It's love,' he whispered softly, 'and mother always said it's best when you give it away.' He turned and quietly left the room. So now I keep a small box crudely made of scraps of wood on the piano in my living room and only smile when inquiring friends raise quizzical eyebrows when I explain to them there is love in it. Yes, Christmas is for gaiety, mirth, song, and for good and wondrous gifts. But mostly, Christmas is for love. If you missed the story on Christmas Eve, Click on the picture to go to our page with the Story of the Night before Christmas with the original artwork, courtesy of the Gutenberg Project. The Night before Christmas is in the public domain - enjoy!. Here is a picture of the Bethlehem Star for you to colour in - right click to download the picture and colour it in using your Paint Programme. Here is a picture of Santa trying to get through the Christmas lights maze to deliver presents - right click to download the picture and colour it in using your Paint Programme.