Advent is my favourite season of the year. A time to draw aside and prepare my heart, mind and body to celebrate, once again, the baby who came and changed the world forever, potentially for everyone. And we are hoping that all of you reading this might also find a space during this season to find some calm and to open yourselves to becoming expectant and ready for whatever God has in store. The Church of England has Follow the Star, Calm and Bright, as its theme for this year. Do look out for some familiar faces as you see the campaign videos launched soon.
We know that Christmas and Advent can be so distracting especially if we are not intentional about how we use our time. There can be so many things to get ready, lots to prepare for, and so we want to offer you the opportunity to come and be here in this space, in your space, whether it’s just through the week when you might sit quietly and pray, or whether it’s to come to one of the many special events that we’ve got on to help you focus on the joy of the season, or whether it’s to come and worship with us and remind yourself that Jesus is the one at the heart of the story. We invite you to come and find some calm before the joy of Christmas Day. And it is all starting with our Advent Procession on December 1st at 6pm.
You would of course be welcome at any time to come and join us here.
Following that star, which you’ll see – burning brightly on top of our tower, come and find some calm and peace while in the busy-ness – and the often ensuing stress – that leads to Christmas.
The Very Revd Andy Bowerman
Dean of Bradford