FROM THE METHODIST MINISTER

Dear Friends,

"Christmas is coming, and the goose is getting fat". So runs the old jingle, and, sure enough, round about now most of us suddenly realise that Advent has begun, and Christmas is nearly on us. However well prepared the goose of the rhyme may be, somehow we seem to have left everything to the last moment!

The advent season is admirably designed to save us from the danger of celebrating the coming into the World of the Word made flesh, without having prepared ourselves, or thought about, the meaning of His coming. Advent begins with the emphasis being laid on Christ's coming as being important not just for Mary and Joseph, Israel and Rome, but for all men everywhere, at every time. Perhaps the most amazing thing, is that Christmas happened at all. Is it not surprising that the Prince of Peace should think it worthwhile and good to come into a world like ours? A world of hunger and disease, world of napalm bombs and torture; a world of hate and prejudice. Yet Christ came, and Christ comes, and Christ is coming. This is the Advent message. He came to Bethlehem, to a dirty stable, to publicans and sinners, to the irreligious and to the blind and lame. He comes still, to those who need Him, to the despairing and to the desperate, to the humble and the hungry. He is coming finally to all mankind. In the ultimate analysis, He will bind up the broken hearted, bring release to the captives, and His reign of peace will prevail. In Advent we not only prepare to celebrate the past; we also celebrate the presence of Christ who is always "coming", always Immanuel, God with us; we also celebrate the sure and certain hope that He who is Immanuel, God with us, is the Victor, God for us, whose ultimate triumph we await.

DENIS E. GARDINER.

PARISH NOTES

A Warm Welcome

To Mr. and Mrs. Watson and Jennifer, Tony and Mark, who have recently arrived from Australia. At present living in a caravan at "Digswell" they hope in the Spring to build their own bungalow and begin to cultivate the smallholding.