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A message from our Interim Moderator Rev Dr Anne Logan:
Only a few more ‘sleeps’ and Christmas will be here. Increasingly though, we hear complaints about any ‘Christian’ bits of the celebration. It seems many people would like the fun without the message. So, shops play Christmas songs rather than carols; cards have abstract designs or pictures of snowmen rather than any obvious Christian symbols. The other day, I was in a shop which was obviously trying to take the ‘Christ’ out of ‘Christmas!’ It had signs advertising the ‘winter sale;’ other signs saying, ‘happy holidays;’ and as decorations there were simply lots and lots of baubles, round balls of various lurid colours. I suppose they were looking for a neutral decoration. But the traditional round baubles have no beginning and no end – just like God’s love. The traditional baubles are round like the world that God created and into which God sent Jesus, because God loved the world so much. And I thought it was good for us to remember, this Christmas, when many people would like to shut God out of their celebrations, that no matter how much people try to cut him out, God will still be here. Whether people acknowledge it, God is still living, working, loving in our world. A baby born in a stable to ordinary parents in an unimportant town is our promise of that.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own,] and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. ( John 1; 1 – 14)
May Christ’s love shine in our hearts and homes this Christmas!
Anne
Worship This Sunday
Sunday 22nd December. Currie Kirk at 10.30am. Worship led by Rev Susan Galloway.
Intimations
The office will be closed over the Christmas period
Reopen 3 January
Christingle and Nativity Family Service— Christmas Eve, 24th December at 6pm in the Gibson Craig Halls.
Watchnight Service— in Currie Kirk at 11.30pm, refreshments from 11pm. Offerings on Watchnight to be split between Bethany Christian Trust and FACE (children's cancer charity).
Christmas Day Service— in Currie Kirk at 10.30am.
Led by Rev Dr Anne T Logan.
29 December Reflective Worship— in Currie Kirk at 10.30am.
Led by Rev Susan Galloway.
Advent Study - Joint Currie and Balerno. Sunday Evenings in December. 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd. 7pm in the Gibson Craig Halls. We are using the book 'Walking Backwards to Christmas' which will be available to buy. To book a place and for more details contact: bpcadmin@balernochurch.org.uk
If you want any information or need to speak to someone, please call the Kirk office (451 5141) or contact one of the Session Clerks - Louise Lamont (07910 594188) or Isobel Webber (07702784186).
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