A Letter from Rev Scott

Here we are, venturing through Advent on our way to that great celebration of Christmas, a time when we gather with family and friends, honouring traditions old and new. It is a season rich with joy and expectation, but also one where the unexpected can arrive uninvited. Sometimes it is a blessing in disguise; other times, it is something we would rather not receive. I suspect many of us have unwrapped a gift that left us puzzled or disappointed and not knowing what to do with it.

Joseph also knew something of that. The gift of a child, as recorded in Matthew chapter 1, was not what he had hoped for. Though engaged to Mary, her pregnancy would have been grounds for divorce. With the weight of social disgrace pressing in, Joseph resolved to end things quietly (Matthew 1:19). He was a righteous man, trying to do the right thing in a situation that felt wrong. And then, God intervened.

In a dream, Joseph heard the words that would change everything: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” which means God with us (Matthew 1:23). It was not the life Joseph had planned. But it was the life God had prepared.

In a world that still feels uncertain and sometimes frightening, what does this message of Immanuel say to us today?

God is present with us.
Joseph discovered that God was at work in the very mess he wanted to escape. The eternal Creator entered time and space as a baby, fully divine, fully human. Not distant, not abstract, but vulnerable and near. This means we can know God not just in theory, but personally. The Holy Spirit continues that work today, making Jesus’ life and character real in us, and bringing meaning to our circumstances, just as He did in Mary’s.

Even when our plans unravel, even when we feel caught between duty and disappointment, God is not absent. He is with us in the quiet wrestlings, in the unexpected turns, in the slow unfolding of grace. Sam Wells, a thoughtful priest and writer, speaks eloquently on this theme in his book The Nazareth Manifesto, a worthwhile read if you are exploring what it means for God to be truly with us. I digress here a little, but the point is God is never far away, his gift to us is celebrated every year as we recall the greatest gift given to humanity.

God is on our side.
Christmas can touch raw nerves, stress, strained relationships, loneliness, financial pressure. Beneath the sparkle and celebration, many carry quiet burdens. But God does not remain aloof. In Jesus, he enters our world of hopes and fears, joys and disappointments. He walks with us. He understands the weight we carry, because he has carried it too.

And yet, there is joy.

There is the joy of children’s laughter, of carols sung by candlelight, of mince pies shared after a service. There is the joy of familiar faces around the table, of stories retold, of traditions that remind us we belong. Even in the midst of uncertainty, Christmas has a way of drawing out wonder. A baby in a manger. Angels singing. Shepherds running. It is a story that still stirs hearts and lifts spirits.

By the cross and resurrection, Jesus gave his life that we might know his love, peace, and forgiveness. He does not promise a life free from struggle, but he does promise his presence in the midst of it. Immanuel, God with us yesterday, today, tomorrow.

And so we turn towards the turn of the calendar and step into a new year not with certainty, but with trust. The path ahead may be unclear, but the promise remains: God is with us. Not just at Christmas, but in every ordinary day that follows. In the quiet work of healing, in the slow rebuilding of trust, in the small acts of kindness and courage, God is present.

The prophet Isaiah speaks into this moment:
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18–19)

Across our benefice, we carry hopes for a growing kingdom: for deeper fellowship, for unity in diversity, for love that reaches beyond our walls. We long to be a people shaped by grace, attentive to one another, and open to the Spirit’s leading. Even in places that feel dry or difficult, God is making a way.

I want to encourage you therefore to not begin the new year with resolutions, but with a prayer:

Lord Jesus, Immanuel, be with us.

Dwell among us in our worship and our walking.

Knit us together in love and purpose.

Grow your kingdom here, in our homes, our churches, our communities.

Help us to see your presence in the unexpected,

and to walk together in hope. Amen.

May this be our shared beginning, a year shaped by grace and held in the presence of Immanuel.

With every blessing for Christmas and the New Year.