Burwood Anglican Parish
	Malcolm's Meanderings!

This month's thoughts from our Vicar

December,   2008

It has come across us quicker than ever, or is that just my age!! - Christmas is just a few weeks away and Dawn and I are far from prepared.   With more grandchildren arriving each year (or that’s what it seems),  there are more people to think about.   But it is a time when families get together and celebrate,  even if it’s not,   sadly,  the birth of Christ that they are celebrating.

I always feel it is a shame that the Christmas season falls at the same time as our holidays as the latter takes precedence over the greater celebration of Christmas and what that birth means to the society which we now enjoy.

Going off in a completely different direction,  we now have a new government and new Prime Minister.    With the world wide financial situation,  we need to continue to pray for our leaders,  and the leaders around the world.   Many people will suffer with redundancies and shorter working hours and the City Mission,  for example,  is seeing a large increase in people needing help—and many more people who are working,  but cannot manage on the income they receive.   Christmas for those people may not be as joyous as they would have hoped.

Despite all the doom and gloom,  Christians will continue to celebrate Christmas for the right reasons.    That birth,  all those years ago,  continues to impact on millions of people around the world.

We have just heard how church attendances are declining in New Zealand.   This is a concern,  but my experience has been that those attending tend to want to be there whereas in the past many were there as it was the ‘thing to do’.   God’s call to us can sometimes be very subtle and we have to be open to hear that call.   I have found regular prayer to be effective in,  not only bringing peace into my life,   but allowing me to hear and respond to what God is saying to me.

Christmas gives us a great opportunity to re-look at our commitment to God and the challenges that that means to us as individuals.

May the blessings of the Christ child be with you and your family this Christmastide.