Welcome to December

Beloved friends in Christ,

December comes softly. Light deepens. Shadows lengthen. Advent gathers us into its ancient hush. We stand on the threshold of mystery once more, held by the promise of Isaiah 9:2, that the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Christmas draws near, and with it the tenderness of God made flesh, the quiet splendour of Emmanuel, the Holy One dwelling among us in humility and joy.

This sacred month carries us through the feasts of beloved saints whose witness enriches our waiting. On 6 December we honour St Nicholas, the model of hidden generosity, a saint whose compassion shaped centuries of Christian kindness. On 13 December we remember St Lucy, luminous in courage and faith, a bearer of light in winter’s deepening night. On 14 December we give thanks for St John of the Cross, whose contemplative fire and mystical poetry lead us into the depths of God’s transforming love. On 26 December we mark St Stephen, the Church’s first martyr, whose steadfast faith and radiant forgiveness illuminate the heart of the Christmas season.

Our parish rhythm this month is rich and full. Across St John’s and The Holy Innocents, prayer continues morning by morning. Preparations for Advent and Christmas unfold with thoughtful devotion. Candle Nights returns on the first Sunday of the month, 7 December from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, when the church opens its doors to all. A sacred space awaits. A gentle invitation. Come for five minutes or for the full two hours. Light a candle. Be in stillness. Bring your faith, perhaps a book to sit with, your hopes, or simply your quiet presence. Peace will hold you in this open church.

Our Carol Service with the Paulinus Singers on 16 December will be free for all, a radiant evening of music and devotion. On 20 December we gather for carol singing and mulled wine at Copt Hewick, a moment of brightness and fellowship with a minced pie. Celtic worship continues each Friday in December, including a peaceful Boxing Day gathering for the feast of St Stephen, offering quiet prayer, gentle musical interludes, and stillness for weary spirits.

There is more. Our Nativity Service on 24 December welcomes everyone, whether you come alone or with friends, with family or in joyful fancy dress. Christmas Day services stand at the centre of our celebrations. All are welcome. All are cherished.

This month’s parish blog is overflowing with beauty. Deborah offers a humble and poignant autumn poem. The bell tower team shares the unfolding story of their work, a delight to read. The Magdalen Fellowship invites all to Christmas peace, including the evening meditation on 21 December. Denise gifts us a thoughtful article on the Advent wreath, rich in symbolism and hope. Caroline’s Monet studiesbring colour, light, and wonder into the season. Carol-Ann’s exploration of Italian Presepi reveals the artistry and devotion woven into the nativity tradition. And with joyful contrast, our annual parish pantomime in January promises laughter, warmth, and communal delight.

We hold in prayer, those among us who carry illness, fragility, or heavy burdens this season. They are wrapped in the quiet support and care of our community, sustained by love, hope, and grace. We remember too all for whom this season brings loneliness, yearning, or grief. Those who hunger, those who weep, those whose spirits feel heavy. In our fellowship, we witness the light of Christ reflected in the gentleness of care, the listening heart, and the shared joy that threads through our parish.

A prayer for December:

O radiant God of Advent and Christmas, kindle in us the light that never dims. Let joy leap in our hearts, hope rise in our spirits, and peace rest upon our homes. Bless our community with generosity that astonishes, love that endures, and gratitude that deepens. Gather us in sacred stillness, as we await the cradle of Bethlehem, and lead us into the wonder of Christ’s birth, now and forever. Amen.


As we move through this sacred season, we are invited to dwell in the quiet mystery of Emmanuel, God-with-us, present in the ordinary and the unnoticed. Christmas carries a theology of wonder; the Word enfleshed, the infinite drawn into the fragile cradle of human life. In every candle flame, every shared song, and every gathered face, there is a reflection of that divine nearness. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6), a reminder that even the darkest nights are touched by light, and that God’s presence threads through the rhythms of everyday life.

This December, the beauty of Christ’s outstretched hand is offered to all. Those who are new to church, unsure of faith, or navigating life with additional needs are met with the same gentle invitation. Those coming on their own are embraced within the shared fellowship of the community. Christmas can be overwhelming, loud, or bright with expectation, yet here there is space to be, space to pause, space to encounter the mystery of Emmanuel quietly, safely, and with welcome. Every moment of stillness, every shared song, every gathering in the warmth of church is a thread in a tapestry of belonging, offering the assurance that Christ’s love and our community hold space for all.

With all good wishes and warmest thoughts for this Advent and Christmas, may the unfolding days hold moments of quiet marvel, deep reflection, and the shared delight of community. Let the ordinary glow with God-with-us, and the sacredness of each encounter; whether in prayer, reflection, music, or fellowship, remind every heart, whether young, hesitant, or seeking, that they are part of the story of Emmanuel. December becomes a season not just of celebration, but of shared presence, of community woven together in wonder, care, and gentle hope.

Join us tis season 
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