Kirsten Rosslyn-Smith, Vicar at St Peter’s Shared Church

We are coming into a season of remembering, late October and early November.

I wish I was patient and good at waiting, I’m just not! If birthday cards come early I want to open them straight away. I find waiting for good things really hard. I find it especially difficult if I have found the perfect gift for someone and I have to wait to give it to them – I want to give it to them then and there because I want to see their face. On the other hand when it comes to starting a new health regime of any kind – I suddenly find I need to wait for the right day to start or some jobs that I’d rather wait for someone else to do – procrastination becomes the name of the game! I’m often waiting for the new me to emerge in the new year, but the old me hasn’t yet caught the vision!

The kinds of things we are waiting for also affect the wait itself. It can be hard waiting to get something you have to save up for – but really satisfying when you achieved it. Some things are inevitably
tougher than others. The frustration of waiting for an overdue baby is very different when people keep asking you about it – is very different from waiting for appointments or a diagnosis.

I’m often waiting for the new me to emerge in the new year but the old me hasn’t caught the vision yet!

I wonder what you are waiting for this year and how you are waiting? Perhaps eager for gifts and exciting things or maybe anxious about what Christmas and the new year may bring – or missing people.

These two seasons, Christmas and New year, can raise all kinds of emotions as we wait for them to come or just wait for them to pass. They can be as difficult as they can be fun.

Something I think we all wait for at some point or another is a ‘fresh start’- that’s why we make resolutions at New Year isn’t it? a new beginning waiting for one year no matter how good or bad to be over and another to start with hope!

If I asked you what you were waiting for, what would you say? Peace, a job, a pay rise, my child to come home…

Or “What are you waiting for?” A time when I have less commitments… a friend to walk with me… something else – hope or encouragement?

In the Christmas story we see unquenchable hope, deliberate intentional kindness, peace, light and life, love, surprise, joy, goodness, faithfulness all bundled up in one long, long, long awaited, anticipated, expected, hoped for, dreamt of king – Jesus, whose life changed the world.

If I asked you what you were waiting for, what would you say?

Many of us are waiting for some sign to say: ‘God is real’ or that God even cares! A star, angels, ancient words, a place of birth, promises all point to this child!

Shepherds ran and wise men travelled to see this new beginning, this new child, the new world contained in him – for everyone, like everyone, with everyone.

What are you waiting for?

Whatever it is that you are waiting for, may you know God’s love this Christmas and his power to bring freedom to you in the new year!

Kirsten R-S
Vicar at St Peter’s Shared Church

Whilst you wait for Christmas you are invited to:

Sunday 15th December
Messy Christingle
Get messy at Messy Christingle on 15th December at 4.00pm crafts, games, songs and party food.

Sunday 22nd December
Big Community Carols
Sing your favourite carols at the Big Community Carols service 6.00pm 22nd December. Mince pies and refreshments too!

Tuesday 24th December
Crib Service
Dress up and take part in the Crib Service at 4.00pm, make the waiting a little easier with little ones on Christmas Eve.

Tuesday 24th December
Midnight Mass
Reflect in quiet at Midnight Mass 11.15pm on Christmas eve.

Anyone can come, everyone is welcome, come as you are, sing the songs you know and join in the celebrations.

…what are you waiting for?