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Viewpoint from Rev Selwyn Tillett 15/12/2017
 Rev Selwyn Tillett
Priest in Charge of Flegg Coastal group of churches
as publsihed in the Yarmouth Mercury
We’re coming to that time of year which is magical for children and adults, or can be painful if it brings bad memories, or if it comes when life’s been hard and recent events have been difficult or damaging. In ten days’ time we shall celebrate again the great festival of Christmas. And if you’re like me, you’ve possibly been feeling really depressed at the number of adverts everywhere that tell us what Christmas is. Apparently Christmas is all sorts of things, from cheap booze to the perfect expensive present
 But, for Christians, Christmas isn’t any of those things. Before anything else it’s the time when God showed his love for us most wonderfully and powerfully. Every Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of his son Jesus. The prophets of the Old Testament had told of his coming hundreds of years before; now his birth brought joy to ordinary people in his own time. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary baby
 We enjoy hearing or telling the same story over and over again, year after year. But we often forget the reason why it happened in the first place. Jesus’ story doesn’t end when we put the decorations away for another year. Because Jesus grew up: He became famous as a healer, a teacher, a preacher. He was someone who for the first time put a face on God. His own friends finally recognised he was God’s son, and his enemies sent him to an appalling cruel death. Then the final demonstration of who he truly is was given when he rose from the dead at the other great festival, Easter, and continued to inspire his disciples. And the existence of so many millions of his followers today is simple evidence of the truth of his message of God’s love
So his story isn’t over yet. It goes on in the life of the church, and in the day-to-day work and witness of every church and every Christian community or family all over the world. It goes on in the message that will be heard in a few days’ time at so many special Christmas services; Jesus’s own familiar message of truth, love, and hope. Any local church will be very glad to see you if you want to find out more about him and that message, even if it’s for the first time. May his love be real for you, and your homes and families this Christmas, into the New Year, and every year
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