AS I write this, the decorations have appeared in shops and in homes in Crediton and the surrounding villages.

There are some wonderful decorative displays which help to lift our spirits and these help to remind us that God came to us that first Christmas as a tiny vulnerable baby.

God’s ways are not our ways and the coming of Jesus Christ as the babe in a manger took the world by surprise!

It was not what people were expecting and one of the things that I have learnt is to allow myself to be surprised by God. And in allowing ourselves to be surprised by God, we learn to hope.

For many of us, 2021 has been a difficult year and hope might seem like something difficult for us to grasp.

We may have lost loved ones; some have lost jobs and for many financial difficulties have loomed large.

Many people have taken the step to re-assess what is important in their lives and in doing so have found new hope. God is the source of our hope and we see this in the vulnerability of the Christ-child in the manger.

May I wish you all a happy and enjoyable and peaceful Christmas and every blessing for 2022!

The Revd Matthew Tregenza

Holy Cross Church, Crediton