Heatherside Advent 2024
..that means Christmas is coming!
Heatherside Celebrates Advent 2024
Do you get tired of hearing about what you should buy at Christmas?
All those adverts of tables overflowing with food and trees with a ton of beautifully wrapped gifts under them?
And then the adverts putting the opposite side of the story - the empty table, the homeless person. Do they make you feel guilty? SHOULD they?
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Surely, what is most important is that we remember that Jesus is the reason for the celebration and share that belief with others. But......
There are many Christian organisations seeking to spread 'Christmas cheer' and, by welcoming those in need at Christmas, open the way for some to enter into a relationship with Jesus.
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We should not feel guilty about celebrating and sharing as we are able. There's a lot to celebrate!
Sometimes we enjoy our own celebrations more by knowing that we have also helped others.
Many will already have a favourite Christian charity to support with their time or money. Here are a couple of ideas if you need them. Clicking on each image will take you to the website for more details.
It's really quite easy to find charities looking for donations on the internet but I wondered if there were ways in which the children could feel a bit more involved. There are two local charities which would accept toys that are no longer needed or clothes that are outgrown and in good condition.
So here's a challenge for the children:
Choose a toy that you love but would like to give to a child who has nothing this year and take it to one of these charities, so that they have something this Christmas.
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God, you hear the calls,
the cries,
the voices raised,
the silent whispered prayers.
Israel, in her exile, crying out for a messiah.
Elizabeth, in her barrenness, calling out for a son.
Shepherds, in their poverty, praying for a saviour.
Mary, in her innocence, searching for a safe place to give birth.
And still today the voices cry out.
In Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan,
in China,
and here in the UK.
The homeless, in their vulnerability, asking for a welcome.
The rich, in their emptiness, longing for acceptance.
The lonely, in their busyness, crying for community.
The families, in their arguments, praying for peace.
God, you hear the calls,
the cries,
the voices raised,
the silent whispered prayers.
Hear our prayers today,
and help us, where we can, to be the answer to someone else's prayer.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
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