Chaplain's Chat 

To begin this final Chaplain’s Chat, I want to acknowledge the generous donations made by the School community towards our annual Christmas Hamper Food Drive. Our Parents and Friends Association will pack these early next week and deliver them to Anglicare for distribution. Hopefully we will reach our goal of 40 hampers.

In our School Christmas services held this week, we considered the birth of Jesus – God’s promised King, sent to save us from sin and bring peace with God. So, what is Jesus’ kingdom like?

In many ways, it appears upside-down compared to what people expected. The wise men expected Jesus to be born in Herod’s palace, but they eventually found him in a humble backstreet home. Jesus’ first guests weren’t the rich or powerful, but lowly shepherds. This humble, upside-down birth set the tone for his ministry - Jesus criticised the so-called “important” people and lifted up the sick, the marginalised and the outcasts. For many people, the ministry of Jesus was a challenge to their narrow picture of God and his purposes in the world.

We still have similar problems today. Many proud, powerful and rich people would like God to be made in their image, for him to serve them and their purposes. But God cannot be used for our selfish plans like that. God continues to favour the outcasts, the underdogs, the politically powerless and economically weak. The Gospel of Luke records these words of Mary:

“The Lord has used his powerful arm to scatter those who are proud.

God drags strong rulers from their thrones and puts humble people in places of power.

God gives the hungry good things to eat, and sends the rich away with nothing.” (Luke 1:51-53)

How will we join with the God of the poor and the least this Christmas? In the middle of all our celebrating, is there a local charity you could support, a service you could give a couple of hours of volunteering to, a lonely person you could visit, or an excluded person you could invite around? 

This Christmas as celebrations reach their height, let’s take a moment to gather again around the manger to reflect on God’s grace and generosity.

I wish you all a very happy and blessed Christmas.

Stuart Martin

School Chaplain