At Christmas we remember how God's Son came to die for our sins, and therefore opens up the possibility for us to be welcomed as children of God through adoption.

Christmas is an undeniably busy time for everyone! It's important therefore to take a moment to pause and remember that behind all the food, festivities and family memories lies the child born two thousand years ago.

Christmas is the most amazing reminder of the joy and light that God, in Christ, brings to us and to our world. We are so quick to look for 'the next best thing', looking for little sparks of happiness, that we often overlook the lasting joy of Christmas.

God comes to make a home in the heart of all who believe in Him. We are not required to be perfect or to have all the answers, only open and receptive to His Spirit dwelling in us.

Amongst the inevitable ups and downs of life, Christmas is a reminder that God draws alongside us in His Son, Jesus. The joy that He brings is an enduring hope rooted in the everlasting love of the Father.

One of the main themes of Advent is preparing for the coming of Christ. As we reflect on the message of John the Baptist we consider how best we can prepare our own hearts for Christmas.

John the Baptist brought a challenging message from the Judean wilderness to the people of his day, however John's words are still inviting us to reflect on our faith, our commitment and our love for God.

Amongst the business and excitement in the build up to Christmas, we have a chance to pause to recenter ourselves in the story of Jesus. What are we expectant of God to do in our world and our lives, and how can we prepare our hearts?

In the final sermon of our series looking at Stories Jesus Asked, we consider how - despite his denials - Peter still loved Jesus, and is invited back into relationship with Christ.

Though His suffering, Jesus brings transformation. His call through our sorrows is to remain awake and watching for Him.

This week we reflect on the evil and waste of war. Against the backdrop of the invasions of Ukraine and Gaza this issue seems more pertinent than ever.

The sad reality is that the suffering of poverty is all around us. Jesus, and His Church, offers hope to all though the difficulty and sadness. The desperations of homelessness and isolation shame our society, we, as a Church, are called to love and help where we can.