Christmas-New Year Letter
Christmas-New Year Letter from the Rector
Dear Friends,
‘Emanuel, God with us’
I hope at this Christmastime that, whatever your circumstances, you are experiencing the “comfort and joy” of the good tidings of God’s coming to us and dwelling with us in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sincere thanks
Sincere thanks to everyone for all the behind-the-scenes work in the churches and parishes in preparing for the many Advent and Christmas services and events which took place, and especially to those who helped with the children’s activities, Crib services, music and readings. We were especially blessed in the area of music this year, with magnificent musical contributions from many gifted artists.
See: https://aughaval.tlk.ie/2024/12/magnificent-music-brought-depth-and.html
Scripture, Comfort and Joy
This time of year can be difficult for many people. We hold in love and prayer all who are grieving, facing illness or struggling with mental ill health, remembering that the Lord our Saviour is also our always-with-us Good Shepherd and friend, who knows our human sufferings. As Christians we take no small comfort in the big picture thinking that in the Incarnation and Cross, God in Jesus Christ took on himself human suffering as well as human sin and failing and all that is amiss in us and in the world. We can also take courage as we look for the future full coming of God’s peaceable kingdom in which all things will be made right, when there will be justice, peace on earth and joy, no more death and no more tears (Rev. 21).
Peaceable Kingdom, by John Swanson
(See: https://johnaugustswanson.com/catalog/peaceable-kingdom/?srsltid=AfmBOooZR7ve2-wWcVWGUrE3NGRHsj7Y2gi1Dcdw4eWTc8aTup5CCLDl)
In the meantime, having celebrated the Feast of the Nativity and Christ’s first coming, with the help of the Spirit who helps us in our weakness, “we do not lose heart” but “watch and pray” for Christ’s coming again to make all things right. And we continue to play our part in the world as in peace we “love and serve the Lord”.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NRSV)
“So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.”
New website, new year
Prior to Christmas we managed to achieve the set-up and launch of a brand new website for the Aughaval Parishes, the first, with the help of a professional website builder who kindly and generously gave of his time and services pro bono, and for this we can be most grateful.
The purpose of the website is to help us, in the new year ahead, to better reach out through communication, information and increased accessibility. We are most grateful also for the help and support received from the TLK Diocese. The site is easily accessed from smartphone or computer, and the address is aughaval.tlk.ie. Here is a link, which you can either click on or copy and paste into your browser in order to visit the site:
The peace of the Lord be with you and all yours this Christmas and always.
Reverend Suzanne Cousins
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