There is One God of All people and all religions.

The truth of the Christmas story is that the Spirit of God is incarnate within all people. This is the truth that is always relevant and it is to be lived day by day. The Christmas Season goes on 24/7 and for 365 days a year during which we can rejoice in the God that comes to us in those whom we will meet.

 This year I have chosen not to preach or to lead services over the Christmas weekend. This year I will not have to struggle with preaching Christmas Eve or Christmas Day sermons that will not offend too many people too much. Nor will I have to sing words of carols that are not only a misreading of the truth of the birth of Jesus but do much to undermine the Church and the transformational Christian message in our contemporary age.

 The 'gentle Jesus meek and mild' kind of carol puts the whole transformational political religious movement of Jesus of Nazareth and the daily incarnational truth of God visiting each one of us into the same category as Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. Is it any wonder that our contemporary world finds the church and its Jesus story irrelevant? But it is not just me saying these things.

 I quote Richard Rohr,, "The Word of God confronts, converts, and consoles us -in that order. The suffering, injustice and devastation on this planet are too great now to settle for any infantile gospel or any infantile Jesus."

 I quote John Dominic Crossan, "Go in the justice of God and peace will take care of itself."

 I quote from Sabeel's Christmas message, " The challenge of the Christmas message for this year is to envision a world without empire, without war, without nuclear weapons, and without destructive arms. We must envisage a different world where peace is built on justice." This is summed up in the John Lennon song "War is over… if you want it…"

 I wish all Permission to Speak visitors, associates and friends, a peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year. For the future of the Christian church we need to face the issues: Jesus has left the manger; Jesus has grown up; and so must we.