We all know that this year’s Christmas celebrations will be different. For many families, there will be no celebration, as they come to terms with spending Christmas without their loved ones, and perhaps grieving.
The coronavirus pandemic, which has devastated so many lives, has emphasised how fortunate we are to live in a country where we can access free medical care through the NHS, regardless of our background or financial status. For many of our brothers and sisters in other parts of the Anglican Communion, access to medical care is not freely available, and the pandemic has pressurised under-staffed health services in our Companion Links Provinces.
In the Diocese of Winchester, this year’s Christmas Appeal is raising funds through the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Anglican Communion Together in Unity Appeal to support Covid-19 projects in Chile, Burundi, DR Congo, Myanmar, Rwanda and Uganda: our gifts will be designated to support the projects which these Companion Link Provinces have submitted. By giving generously to our friends in the Anglican Communion, we can help to bring hope and light this Christmas.
The birth of God’s Son Jesus Christ, more than 2000 years ago, brought new hope and light to a broken world: the promise of a transformed world and eternal life with him. This same promise is offered to each of us today.
Usually, Christmas brings with it the comfort and joy of family, friendship and celebration. For Christians celebrating the true meaning of Christmas, comfort and joy are found in knowing the love of God, who came to us in the birth of Jesus, and who comes to us now in all our joys and sorrows, celebrations and disappointments. It is my prayer that we all find comfort and joy this Christmas, perhaps in unexpected ways, and as we journey together into 2021, may we be ‘surprised by joy’.
Please donate to the appeal: https://www.give.net/dioceseofwinchester
