The United Reformed Church Chesham

Dear Friends

As we look back over the year, we can rejoice in the things that have been achieved. We will remember the moving back to our renewed church building and the wonder of the opening weekend on Pentecost last May. People are still coming into the building and exclaiming ‘Wow!’ – ‘A lovely warmth and new sense of light in the church.’ We can now provide a good modern resource for the use of all the community, right in the middle of the town.

We look forward to Christmas celebrations as once more we welcome the birth of Christ. God with us – new life – new light for the world. God opens a new door for us. We seem to have plenty of doors in our building, including new ones! We need to make sure they are open in welcome. It is very true that as one door shuts, another will be opened. When all seems to be going wrong often suddenly a new opportunity comes and as that new door opens, light shines in the darkest situation.

Jesus said, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7) We need to be proactive, to ask, to seek, and to knock and we may be surprised by God. In the poem ‘The gate of the Year’, we are encouraged to do just this:
And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
"Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown!"
And he replied:
"Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way."

However your year has been, I hope you will find new doors opening and that through Christmas and into the New Year God’s light will shine on all you do.

Martin and I wish you all a happy Christmas and God’s blessings in 2014.

A prayer: Jesus Christ, Light of the World, shine through all we do in the days ahead. May we sense your close presence in busy and quiet times. Speak through the celebrations this Christmas and as we open the door into the New Year keep us safely walking with you beside us. Help us to pass on your light to those we meet. Through Jesus Christ our Lord . Amen