The autumn is always a busy time. In quick succession we have Halloween, Bonfire Night, Remembrance Sunday, and before we look round, it will soon be Christmas. In the church, as we look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus, we enter a period called Advent, a time of preparation.
In the Methodist Church this year, throughout Advent we will be exploring resources entitled “There is Room”.
In the Christmas story, we are made acutely aware that there was no room for Joseph and Mary to rest when they arrived in Bethlehem, they were turned away from the places where they should have been welcomed.
In our preparations and busyness of this time of year, we need to actively make room for God. And throughout the whole of the year, we need to make room in our lives for all sorts of people who might get turned away, or who are told that there is no place for them. We should open our lives and our minds to those who are different to us, all ages and genders, the poor and dispossessed and refugees who seek a welcome from us.
Jesus' birth changed everything and made room for us in God's Kingdom. As part of the Methodist Church, we seek to demonstrate our open, inclusive and welcoming nature by saying to all people, 'There is Room' for you.
You are all welcome, and you are all invited to come and share in these at any of our services where we will Make Room for Jesus, and be assured – There is Room for you as well.
May you all be blessed this Christmas and New Year
Revd Martin
