Very warm Christmas greetings to all congregations, districts, societies, and individual members of our General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches. Many of our churches light candles to mark the Advent period and some others refer to Advent when lighting their chalice candles: the symbolism of light in the dark underlying most of our chalice symbolism being combined with the anticipation of Advent.
As I said at my chalice lighting at the Annual Meetings:
“Just as the candle is consumed, so too we will only be able to bring truth and love and beauty into our lives and into our world by transforming into sacred flames—a sacrifice of self that is fed by the spirit of God acting through our lives and our relationships.
“May our inner lights burn brightly, bringing the light of peace and justice to our darkened world.”
We live in a world beset with overwhelming problems, both natural disasters and human-caused misery; we live in a society dominated by commercial interests and values; and we live with a calendar that seems to bump from one special greetings-card-day to another, and now we are in the commercial rush that will take us up to Christmas Day.
It would be easy to just turn our backs on the whole Christmas message and say, “Humbug”! But I'd rather see Christmas as an opportunity to focus on the life, values, and sacrifice of Jesus; to celebrate through song and story the spirit of love he demonstrated and which continues to inspire 2000 years after his death. For Unitarians, Jesus has never been the central god-figure-pillar of the universe; nevertheless Unitarians have written songs and stories that have entered the larger societies of which we are a part.
We can take the Bible stories as stories not history, and enjoy the imagery while pondering the multi-layered values that good stories embody. For example, stories about Jesus frequently mention his acts of kindness. Social intercourse, even in church, that doesn't include kindness loses something crucial.
The Paris conference on Climate Change is in its final, difficult stages. This gathering takes place in a beautiful city just weeks after a terrible atrocity caused by extremists who think it is alright to kill those with whom they disagree. Winter's icy blasts are an extra challenge for most of us but deadly for many refugees living in unheated tents. Can the Christmas call to Peace on Earth nudge us and our representatives along more sensible paths of behaviour? One lives in hope while working hard on issues locally.
Christmas is a time for us to think of others more than ourselves and as we celebrate the joy of the season with friends and family may this be so for all of us.
To the traditional wish for “a Happy Christmas to one and all” I repeat words from our Chalice lighting, perhaps illustrating that we wait not for someone else to solve our problems, we wait for ourselves to respond effectively to God's spirit within us:
May our inner lights burn brightly, bringing the light of peace and justice to our darkened world.
The British Red Cross is therefore urgently appealing for more desperately funds to support people in Syria and neighbouring countries affected by this ongoing conflict and this massive refugee exodus.
Millions of people have fled from Syria to Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey. Many have found themselves separated from loved ones and are desperately struggling to find shelter or a way to earn a living. The British Red Cross is working with partners in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement to give these refugees the vital help they so urgently need but funds are running out.
‘The British Red Cross has been helping in Syria since before the unrest began. We have now scaled up our response and are providing support across the region. Every month we get food, water, blankets, soap and other essential help to people caught up in Syria’s terrible conflict. We’re helping people get their homes ready for harsh winters and deal with the psychological impact of years of violence. And we have worked to fix water networks and health services, cutting the risk of deadly diseases.
Much of the help is given by staff and volunteers of our partner, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. The British Red Cross has been working with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent since 2004, helping the organisation prepare for a range of disasters. Their reputation for neutrality means we can send help where other aid agencies cannot. But these brave men and women still face huge risks—dozens have been killed in the line of duty.’
If you wish to respond to this urgent Red Cross appeal please kindly make your cheque payable to the British Red Cross and send it to British Red Cross, 44 Moorfields, London EC2Y 9AL. Please indicate on the back of the cheque that you wish to earmark it to the Syria Crisis Appeal and write on the envelope ‘Clara Barton Appeal for the attention of Laura Deacon’. Thanks.
Signed:
Patrons:
Rev. John Clifford (President of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches)
Rev. Eric Cherry (International Association for Religious Freedom and Unitarian Universalist Association)
Rev. Dr William F. Schulz (President, Unitarian Universalist Service Committee)
Plus 59 signatories