Heald Green United Reformed Church

Dear friends,

In the business of our preparations for Christmas day, let us pause for a moment and remember the place where the story all began, Bethlehem.

And let’s try not to focus on Bethlehem as it is in most of our Christmas carols and nativity stories, or even as it may have been in Jesus time, but how it is today; a city which is virtually a huge prison camp, surrounded by the walls, fences and boarder check-points of the Israeli government.

Many of you bought at the Autumn Fair, Christmas decorations made from Palestinian olive wood. These are transported to the UK by Rev’d Brian Jolly from Altrincham URC. The sale of olive wood is a vital trade and lifeline for the oppressed people of Bethlehem. With its once thriving tourist industry in ruins, transporting their goods to churches overseas is the only way they can continue to share their craft skills and make a living.

In recent years we have sung together this powerful re-wording of the traditional Carol, ‘O little town of Bethlehem’

O troubled town of Bethlehem,
with conflict still you lie.
Above your deep but restless sleep
indifferent stars go by;
yet in your dark streets may you find
resilient, endless light:
for hopes and fears of all the years
were borne in you one night.

For Mary’s child was born, and cried,
unnerving powers-above,
whilst God of Life who bears our strife
en-couraged hope and love.
O morning stars, now sniper-fire
obscures such hopeful births;
but mothers sing of everything –
their prayer still ‘peace on earth.’

How silently, how violently,
your wondrous gift was given;
while God is grace for every race,
your streets with fear are riven.
As Jesus came amongst the poor
(confronting powers-that-be),
through risen will and faith he still
invites us ‘Set them free.’

O daring child of Bethlehem,
empower us all, we pray,
to work for peace that wars may cease
and love be born today.
With all the nations’ angels
proclaiming we shall tell:
“Heal Bethlehem, join ‘us’ with ‘them’” –
Amen, Immanuel!

Graham J. Adams (1975 - )

We’ll be singing it again this year, and as we sing, I hope we are also praying for the day when we can sing the original again.

I wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas.

Mike