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Thank you to Rev Rachael Hawkins, Minister of Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church, for sharing this article with the community:

Dear friends,

Am I the only one who thinks that Christmas celebrations seem to have started particularly early this year? The Christmas adverts always seem to start in early November and the shops seem to start looking to Christmas once the Halloween stock disappears, but it feels as though there is also a desire in people more generally to start celebrations early. For the last week or so I have been noticing houses being decorated and trees going up, only a few, but they are around. One of my favourite memories from childhood is putting the Christmas tree up on Christmas Eve. It goes up earlier than that in our house nowadays, but it means that seeing decorations up so early still feels very odd to me.

I was intrigued, however, by a comment I heard recently asking whether decorations are going up early because people need it. Decorations, lights, coming together for meals, making time to do something special all give moments of joy and when people are struggling, when life feels hard, having those moments can be valuable. Life does feel hard for many people at the moment and so the comment made me see those early decorations going up in a different way. [Read more…] about Christmas Message 2025 from Rev Rachael Hawkins

Written by Rev Deacon Paul Owen
St Edward the Confessor Catholic Church (part of the Catholic Parish of St Swithun Wells)
on behalf of Churches Together in Chandler’s Ford

We are well into December and our senses are full of the coming of Christmas. Whether it’s the Christmas lights springing up all over the area; the Christmas songs we hear all the time in shops or on the radio; the adverts on the TV encouraging us to buy more food and presents than we need. But this year, perhaps more so than in previous years, we prepare for Christmas in a world faced with difficult times. A world in which suffering, wars and political uncertainty are a greater threat than they have been for many years.

It got me thinking about what it is that is special for us as we approach another Christmas. What is it we look for at Christmas? For us Christians, this period of preparation for Christmas is called Advent. The central theme of Advent for all Christians is hope. But for each one of us, where do we find our hope this Christmas?
[Read more…] about Becoming a Pilgrim of Hope – Christmas Message from Churches Together in Chandler’s Ford – 2024

‘Opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts…’ (Matthew 2:11)

I wonder what sort of gift-giver you are? Do you have creative ideas, effortlessly putting together fun, interesting and unique Christmas presents for your loved ones? Maybe you reflect on each person on your list and come up with perfectly personalised gifts? Perhaps you’re on the other end of the spectrum and pick up random items, in blind panic, on Christmas Eve? Most people are probably somewhere in the middle, working their way through a list of names and doing their best to find a meaningful gift.

As I have been re-reading the Christmas story this year the above words from the bible have stuck in my mind. They come from the story of the wise men who found the baby Jesus at the end of their journey. Filled with joy they bowed down, paid homage and opened their treasure-chests, and offered him gifts… The wise men lived in turbulent times and were overwhelmed with joy in finding the new king who would rule with God’s justice and bring peace.

[Read more…] about Christmas Message by Churches Together in Chandler’s Ford – 2023