Dear Friends

As a child, I remember Christmas being full of colours. The Woolworth bought decorations were so bright, especially the multi-coloured lights. These took forever to untangle and then, when they failed to light up, endless time was spent going through every bulb to see which needed replacing, so that the circuit could be made complete and the lights would shine in the mix of multicolours once more.

Fashions, of course, change. I've noticed that multicoloured lights are viewed as 'tacky' these days, and people seem to prefer white or gold. Apparently, multi-coloured lights show 'bad taste'!

I don't know what colour your lights are this year. Are you fashion conscious, or do you (like me) still have the good old Woolies' Christmas lights ready to shine once more?

Thinking of that made me wonder what colour you think of or wish for your Christmas? 'I'm dreaming of a White Christmas' seems to be the colour we immediately identify with Christmas. In many cases, the purity of the white snow covering all around in such a beautiful way, is a powerful Christmas analogy.

For some, red is the Christmas colour of choice, for all kinds of reasons, especially the colour of the suit that Coca Cola gave a particular Saint to wear that day (St Nicholas traditionally wore green).

For many, sadly, the chosen colour of Christmas is blue,

'It'll be a blue Christmas without you!'

This is a song that Elvis sang and an emotion I do not underestimate. For many, in both our family and church family circles, blue is the Christmas colour. We don't like to acknowledge it and fail to recognise it in case we 'spoil or upset' the celebration for everyone else.

This Christmas let us recognise the colour Blue, why it is so and how we can respond more appropriately to those who are handling this colour this Christmas. May God help us to be so sensitive in our love for each other that something of God's beautiful rainbow may shine through us and permeate the blue in those around us.

I know it's not a Christmas Carol - but in many ways it could be. Turn over the page and I invite you to sing these words and make them your prayer.

God richly bless you and fill your heart with his wonderful peace,

Crawford

Rev CJ Logan, Minister