Christmas events at Welshpool Community Church

 

As many of you will know, we've been unable to return to our pre-lockdown meeting place, the Ann Holloway Centre, so we're grateful that we've been able to hire the United Chapel building on New Street for our gatherings; and it appears that we'll be there for the foreseeable future.  

All of our Christmas services and events will be taking place there, and this will include:

"Coffee and Carols" every Monday morning, 10-12, until Christmas

All-age service on Sunday 5th December at 10:30am, followed by a hot lunch

Carol Service on Sunday 12th December at 5:30pm, followed by mince pies

Christmas Day Service at 10am, followed by a Community Meal at 1pm

There will be no charge for the lunches, but if you're planning to come to the community meal on Christmas Day, it would help if you could book beforehand: contact us on 07908362335 or email us at welshpoolcommunitychurch@gmail.com.

Monday Morning "Coffee and Carols"

We had our first Monday morning "Coffee and Carols" yesterday (the next one is 6th December), and it was a great encouragement to see both familiar and unfamiliar faces among those joining us.  

As well as chatting over hot drinks, people were invited to join in with the carol singing at 11am; and the Advent readings (from 2 Samuel 7:8-17 and Luke 1:26-38) reminded us that the birth of Jesus Christ was the fulfilment of a 1,000 year-old promise to David about a king who would rule forever:

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:30-33)

This also links the birth of Jesus with his resurrection, for a king that rules forever must be able to overcome death.  The authority of Jesus over death was something highlighted in last Sunday's service, looking at chapter 4 of John's gospel (verses 43-54), in which Jesus, simply by commanding it, miraculously heals a man's son who is close to death.  Here's a brief excerpt from the sermon:

"In chapter one of his gospel, John describes the Word who existed “in the beginning” and “was with God and was God”.  All things were created through this Word, and this Word contains the life that brings light to humanity.  

"John tells us (1:14) that this Word “became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  He's clearly telling us that Jesus Christ is this Word that was at the creation of the world and today gives to people Life and Light (with capital “L”s!)

"So, when Jesus Christ is born, he is not simply a heaven-sent messenger – he is the heaven-sent message.  In him, God’s promises become a person.  It is no surprise, then, that this life-giving and life-changing Word, having become a person, then speaks life-giving and life-changing words.  As Jesus declares that the son will live, even Death begins to feel intimidated..."