Northern Lights MCC
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Mission Values
    • History
    • Who's Who
    • 5 Year Plan
  • What We Believe
    • Bedrock Beliefs
    • LGBT People and the Bible
    • Our Denomination
  • What We Do
    • Sunday Worship
    • Families and Children >
      • Family Service Portal
    • Personal and Spiritual Development
    • Pastoral Care >
      • Suicide Prevention
    • Social Action
    • Social Events
  • What's On?
    • Calendar
    • Coronovirus and NLMCC
    • Home Group Resources
    • Trans Day of Remembrance
  • Catch Up
    • Our Podcast
    • Catch Up Archive
    • Church Blog
    • Video Recordings of services
  • Support Us
  • Social Media Policy

pray for peace

15/12/2016

0 Comments

 
As we come towards the end of 2016, I think we are all reflecting on the changes that have taken place in the past twelve months, as individuals, as a community of believers, as a nation, and worldwide.

Uppermost in my mind are the effects of the political changes of the second half of the year. After the referendum on the European Union in June, we saw a recorded increase in hate crime across the board, but particularly racially aggravated incidents. The xenophobic language of the leave campaign seems to have contributed to this increase. 

Similarly, following the election of Donald Trump as President-elect of the United States of America, there was a renewed sense of threat against our churches, against black people and other people of colour, and against the LGBT+ communities. The language of the campaing appeared to give this permission.

That Advent comes in the end of the calendar year, amidst the shortest and darkest days, reminds us that Christ is a presence with us in all our own times of cold and fear, and encourages us to look to the future. The Nativity stories we read in the Gospels tell of a family living in a politically hostile landscape (Roman Palestine) who were forced into seeking asylum in Egypt because of the whim of a corrupt ruler. The birth of Christ gives us hope because it overturns corruption and the status quo through the simple subversive image of God as a child fleeing for his life. That is the Unexpected Peace we are commemorating with our service this Sunday.

The Christchild is alive in every young person desperate to leave Alleppo. Mary's loving care holds fast in every mother, stepmother and mother-figure who protects the vulnerable. Joseph's steadfastness is present in every father or protector who places themselves between the court of public opinion and the righteousness of God to keep the law of love.

As Lorraine reminded us last week, the peace of Christ is not a reality in our world yet. Advent reminds us to pray continually that the Prince of Peace will come once again amongst us, that God's Rule of Love of will create the world anew, and that we will be agents of unfamiliar peace, unclear hope, unrevealed joy and unknown love. 

Blessings of the season,
Kate
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Hope & Light Blog

    Follow the church on Twitter

    Archives

    December 2019
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Contact us

Submit

About us

Who We Are
What We Believe
What We Do
Whats On?


Follow, tweet and talk to us!

Worship with us Sunday 6.30pm
ONLINE VIA FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE


Email: contact@northernlightsmcc.org.uk
Phone: 07770543407



Social Media Contribution Guidance


Registered Charity Number 1093009
Website designed by Carly Steven 
Logo and branding designed by Naomi Neilson