I came across this picture some years ago, as an idea for a Christmas card.  It’s a picture that set me thinking about a number of messages that are important for Christmas.

The focus of the picture is Jesus as a baby, but with the star that shows this is not an ordinary baby.  The star is a symbol of his power and glory, his light and role as guide and revealer of the truth.

Jesus is the one whom people are coming to see and to meet.  The people are from different cultures yet all are attracted to see Jesus. The Bible and Christian history are full of stories of people meeting Jesus and their lives being transformed.  If our Christmas is going to start with Christ, this means taking time to think what this means.

I would like to encourage you to use this picture to think about Christmas and your place in the story.  Where would you put yourself in the picture?  What would it mean to meet with Jesus?  How would you like your life and your relationships to be transformed?

With all the rush and bustle of Christmas, it is sometimes hard to keep the focus on Jesus.  With all the crowds it is sometimes hard to really meet with each other.

Please take the opportunity to come to some of the events advertised in this magazine; decide to start this Christmas with Christ and show his love to one another.

Rev Bill Henderson

We are moving towards the end of 2014 already.  The clocks have gone back and the dark evenings are drawing in but we are seeing the beautiful autumn colours beginning to show as we move into the next season.

Plans are also progressing for the site of the old church.  The idea is to make it a place that people will want to come and visit; a place for reflection; a place to tell stories of Christ, the church and the community.  Plans will be on display from 17th November and there will be a drop-in day on Friday 21st November.  It would be helpful if you have any ideas to hear from you.

A theme this month is ‘remembering’.  We had the Memorial Service for people who have died recently on October 26th.  Thank you to all those who came and stayed on for tea and cakes; there was a real sense of supporting each other at a difficult time.  The Remembrance Service for those who have been killed in wars will be at 10am on Sunday November 9th.  As part of the service we will go over to the site of the War Memorial to place poppies and wreaths there.  Do come and join us.

Each of these services are different, and at each we do more than just remember.  We are bringing God into a situation that is painful. We show respect and show how we value the lives of those who have died.  We say thank you for what they have given us.  Sadly, as we look around today, the prospects for world peace are not very good.  It is truly shocking as we observe what human beings do to each other, for example the terrible actions of ISIS and others: cycles of violence that only seem to escalate.

We can be left feeling helpless but there are some things we can do.  We remember with thanks the death of Jesus; a death that was not in vain as we show each time we respond to Him.  Jesus was also the great peacemaker, and lays down a challenge for us: love your enemies; do not keep a record of wrongs; forgive one another.  We may not be able to effect world peace, but we can be peacemakers in our families and community.

Rev Bill Henderson

After a bit of a break, work has continued on the site of the old church.  The ground has been prepared for grass seeding and we are waiting for the grave stones that were moved for protection to be     replaced.  It is now possible to see more clearly what the state of the site will be when it is handed over ready for the next stage.  I would very much like for the community to get involved with ideas and   helping with the work.

One of the jobs to be done is to clear the path that leads down the steps to Aberford Road.  I would like to invite anyone who would like to help to come on Saturday 18th October to help.  Please bring your own tools if you can.  We will start at 10am and if enough people come, it will not take too long.  On the down side, it looks like some of the stones that have been left for building the legacy of the old church have been stolen.  I would ask people to look out for this and report any suspicious activities to the police.

We are moving forward with the plans for building a suitable place for the war memorial and peace garden.  These will be on display when we have our next consultation during the week beginning 17th November, in the Church Centre.  On Friday 21st there will be people available to talk to and ask questions. We have had some great ideas so far.  One of the graves that will be restored is of a local engineer called Bartholomew.  His story is well known in Goole but is little known in his home town, Stanley.  We would like to have something that tells his story.  There may be other stories from the past to record and I would like to hear your ideas.

This is also the time of year when we celebrate harvest.  We can stop and think about the good gifts that come from the earth, our     gratitude to God and to those who work the land.  We would like to invite you to join in these celebrations.  There will be a Ceilidh on    Saturday October 11th at St Peter’s School, with the usual live band (please ring 835746 for tickets).  There will be a special service on Sunday morning at 10am and on Tuesday October 14th a harvest lunch open to all in the village but especially aimed at the more mature   members of the community to come and join us.

Rev Bill Henderson