Dear Colleagues and Friends,


To those of Christian faith it is time to wish one another “Happy New Year!” This is not at all because we may be looking forward to the 1st January, but because Advent Sunday every year is the first day of the Christian calendar. The Coming of Christ is the great event - both past event and future event, the event which those who minister the Gospel proclaim to all, whether they be willing or unwilling to listen. In the Christian Calendar it forms a sort of opposite polarity to the great Paschal commemoration of the death and Resurrection of the Lord which mark the conclusion of His ministry on Earth in the flesh and the beginning of the proclamation of the Gospel - the Good News - to all nations. During the Season of Advent the liturgical focus is upon both the Gospel’s End and the Gospel’s Beginning.


The Collect for Advent Sunday is


Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty, to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.


Appropriately, one focus in time of the prayer is “the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ cme to visit us in great humility”, and the other focus in time is “the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty, to judge both the quick and the dead”. These are the combined Advent foci exactly. The prayer is for “grace that we may cast away the works of darkness and put upon us the armour of light” during the first time focus; and a connected statement of hope for the second, that “we may rise to the life immortal, through Jesus “who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever.”


Indeed may Almighty God grant us such grace and such resurrection.


For directions about the services this Sunday the 28th November, the 1st Sunday in Advent, please see the website www.TruthWithLanguage.com .



In faith in the holy Name of our Lord Jesus, who will continue to provide guidance to us all.


+ Nicholas