Our Christmas Carol Celebration

On 16th December the Tower Hamlets Christian Prayer Group had our customary Carol Celebration.

The was a good number attended.
 Cllr
The speaker of the Council Cllr Victoria Obaze came and joined us. She spoke about celebrating diversity in the council and how, we as a Christian prayer group, should proud of who we are as a Christian group in the borough.  To recognise and celebrate all the different faith groups Tower Hamlets has, be it Christian or Muslim or Hindu or no faith at all. Tower Hamlets are proud of the diversity represented in the workforce.

We sang all the usual carols. However, this year we sang without musician accompaniment.
 Different people read from the Bible . I is and amazing story how God came.

Steve gave a short talk: 

"Merry Christmas

The Christmas story of Christmas is an amazing story. It is not about the tinsel or about the Christmas tree, but about God himself coming to be one of us.

Human kind was created by God to be a friend to us. The trouble is we are selfish and we walked away from that friendship. Think about how you have a friend and they offend you. They walk away from being your friend. What do you do? Just let them walk away? Let them get on with it. Not talk to them again? Well we might do that but God did not.

The baby in the manger shows that God is committed to us to being our friend. He is, as the Bible says, Immanuel, God with us.

This baby, we know, grew up and demonstrated he was our friend. Showing he was God among us. But we walked away; or at least some did. Some could not stand the message he had to give. That God wanted to be our friend. He wanted to be your friend. Christmas leads to Easter where This Baby – The Lord Jesus Christ gave his life on The Cross so we could be friends of God.

How do we respond to that? Do we still walk away or do we accept his offer of friendship. Do we recognise that he made all the first moves?

Many have tried, and still do, try and work so God would accept them. But this offer from him has already been given. This gift of life is a free gift of life. It requires only that we accept this gift and love this Baby – our Lord Jesus Christ who gave his life for you.

So, this Christmas, enjoy your Christmas dinner, enjoy the tinsel, enjoy the Christmas tree, but remind yourself the offer of friendship from God is there for the taking.