Thoughts from The Vicarage 264

Thoughts from The Vicarage in 2025

Greetings on this second day of the New Year as we see the Magi move inexorably towards the crib as we celebrate Epiphany. This short season of the church year sees Kings, stars, doves and voices with water into wine over the next Sundays of Epiphany.

This is a time when the church prays for the worldwide mission of the church. I’ve added to our prayers each of the formal links Oxford has with three dioceses in different parts of the world: Växjö in the (Lutheran) Church of Sweden, Kimberley and Kuruman in South Africa and Nandyal in the Church of South India. Please see Pews News.

Thank you very much to all those who helped or assisted in any way during December and all our wonderful Christmas celebrations – you are all greatly appreciated. We are truly blessed to have so many talents within the Valley churches. There’s always room for more and if you would like to join in simply do let me know!!

Finally, thank you one and all for all your kind greetings, gifts and kind cards to The Vicarage – each is much appreciated. May you know that in the excitement, in the longing, in the business, in the stillness, in the ordinary and in the extraordinary, God is there with us, this New Year 2025 and always.

And very finally a prayer…. This week a litany called “The Work of Christmas” composed by Howard Thurman, an African-American theologian, educator, and civil rights leader.

When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their flocks,
the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among the people,
to make music in the heart.

God bless,
Julie

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