Christmas is a special time of the year. The preparations begin weeks before. There is a long list of things to be done; cards and presents to be bought, decorations and Christmas trees to be put up, school concerts and carol services, food to be bought and cooked, time with the family and for parents…

This Christmas people in every part of the world are facing very serious difficulties. The continuing war in Ukraine is inflicting great suffering on ordinary people who are facing very cold winter weather without heating and water. Many families also feel deeply the loss of loved ones who have died in the war. People in…

Phillips Brooks, the rector of Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia, wrote the carol “O little town of Bethlehem” for the Sunday School children at his church. On Christmas Eve 1865, Phillips rode on horseback from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Before dark he rode out of the town to a field like the one where angels appeared…

Charles Wesley wrote “Hark! The herald angels sing”, one of the best-known Christmas carols. Charles was the brother of John Wesley, the leader of the English Methodists in the 18th century revival. Charles wrote more than 6000 hymns. His aim was to teach ordinary people, many of whom were poor and illiterate, the great truths…

One of the best-known Christmas carols is “Once in royal David’s city.” It was written by Cecil Frances Alexander whose husband became bishop of Derry. Mrs Alexander, as she was known, wrote 400 hymns including “All things bright and beautiful” and “There is a green hill far away.” She wrote hymns for children many of…

Thursday 24 November is Thanksgiving Day in the USA. The first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in November 1621 by the Plymouth colonists and the indigenous Wampanoag people. In September 1620 a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth in England carrying 102 passengers. Most of the families on board were Christians who belonged to churches…

In the past week we have remembered those who died in the two Great Wars of the 20th century. Remembering those who died is important. The scale of the losses was terrible. In WWI 20 million military personnel and civilians died. In WWII between 40 and 50 million died. There were also many millions who…