Monday Morning Mail, 3rd December 2012

Loving God | Loving Each Other | Loving our Community

Good Morning!

Advent is a time that's all about waiting. It's a time of waiting and looking forwards to Christmas as we count the shopping, working and chocolate-eating days left. But it's also a time, as Geoff reminded us at the 9:15 yesterday, of looking forwards to Jesus' return in glory. "He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead" we say in the creed. And yet so often we carry on as if it is just an idea that Jesus will return one day .

Yesterday evening, I was preaching on Haggai. In Haggai's day, the people were working hard but never quite had enough to eat. They were putting off rebuilding the temple because it seemed like too much hard work, and they were too discouraged. But God used Haggai to encourage them by reminding them that he was in control, that if we put him first and work for his kingdom, especially when times are hard, then he will bless us, that time spent serving and worshipping God is never wasted, even when we are busy and have so many other demands on our time. And that's the perspective that we get from remembering that Jesus will return – that things done for Jesus are what really lasts in this world!

Christmas services are getting ever nearer – do be thinking about who to invite to the Carol Service (6:30pm on 23rd)! Richard Dawkins said a few years ago that if a Christian friend invited him to a carol service, he'd probably go along, so don't be shy! It's also a great opportunity to share something of our faith in Jesus with our friends. I went to the Christmas light switch on at the shops on Friday afternoon, and it was really encouraging how many people were there. The Nativity scene was looking great – well done Ade and co!

Many thanks to all who donated toys for Family Concern yesterday – I'm just about to go and deliver them! Family Concern is a great charity that works with children and families in the Nottingham area who are going through a very hard time, and it's great to be able to support them this Christmas time.

The Church of England collect for Advent Sunday is a great prayer for this time of year:

Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that on the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

In his service,

John