Christmas 1964
The Vicarage, Blackmore,
Essex.
19 - CHRISTMAS - 64
Dear Friend,
Addressing the envelopes for
our Christmas Letter has revealed that our mailing list has grown more than is
usual during the past year. We are pleased that old friends and new are thus
brought to mind.
This is our eighth Christmas
Letter to be sent from Blackmore Vicarage. Twelve months ago it was the
outstanding: inter which sprang to mind as one reviewed the year. This time it
is the outstanding summer. Even as this is being penned a weakening sun is
splashing the thinning foliage into a riot of autumn colours as though summer
struggled against a final exit.
We enjoyed receiving your
greetings last Christmas and especially reading the letters of those who were
able to write. Though in many cases our friendship continues through an annual
exchange of greetings or letters yet, where Christians are concerned, it offers
occasions for praise, thanksgiving and prayer as the passing years register the
continuing faithfulness of God and the steady going on of his faithful people.
To our news then. For the
Diocese of Chelmsford this has been the Year of Jubilee. The Diocese was
created in 1914 and for 50 years God has blessed and enlarged Christ's Church
and her witness in this County of Essex. Our Bishop has reminded us of the
tremendous changes wrought through, as he put it, two hot wars and one cold
one. As part of its thanksgiving the Diocese hopes to give £11,000 towards
building a church and towards the support of a Christian youth leader, in
Africa.
As to the Parish, new houses
are being built all the time. In new roads houses are being fronted with
pavements and one feels, somewhat regretfully, that it might not be long before
some of the newer residents agitate for street lighting. The increasing
population means that more and more souls are being added to our spiritual
care. We long for a greater measure of freedom from the mechanics of running a
parish in order to "pastor the flock".
The pattern of worship, work
and witness continues as in past years. Five of our young people and two adults
were confirmed on the 9th April, Two of the young confirmees have become
teachers in the Junior Church. A Young Wives Fellowship was formed in early
summer and commenced meeting regularly in September. New chiming hammers were
fitted to our bells to avoid the risk of fracturing, a few months ago. We hope
one day to instal a new bell frame so that our ancient bells can be rung again
in the traditional manner. After a frustrating delay we at last have a Faculty
to instal new heating and lighting in our church. The work should be completed
by the end of November or early December. It will be interesting to see how
valid has been the excuse for absence from services on account of a cold, cold
church. The fortnightly Bible Study, the monthly Family Service and the women's
meetings continue encouragingly. Now, we have commenced planning and praying
for a mission to be held jointly with the neighbouring parish of High Ongar.
This is to be called "Operation Open Door", will be held 20 - 31 May
1965 and will be led by officers of the Church Army.
As regards ourselves, we had a
happy holiday spending a few days in turn in Hampshire, Devon and Cornwall. We
both feel wonderfully well, apart from the occasional stiffness and ache that
come with the passage of time. During the years in Blackmore the Lord Jesus has
become a greater reality in our lives and his service, at the same time, more
demanding and more rewarding.
We like to bring our Christmas
Letter to its close with a reference to Holy Scripture and the sharing of a
thought thereon.
The Apostle John records the
interview between Pilate and Jesus Christ at the point of his exit. In these
words Jesus refers to his advent, to which our thoughts go instinctively at
this Season, "to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the
world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth
heareth my voice". (John 18:37). The crib and the cross are inseparable.
He was the man born to die. Between that birth and that death we trace his life
- full of grace and truth but it was pre-eminently in the manner of his coming
and in the manner of his going that we discern the grace (favour) of God
towards man.
The Evangelists draw a word
picture of the Babe of Bethlehem. With the hymn-writer we sing "veiled in
flesh the Godhead see". The Apostle Paul writes that he "was made in
the likeness of men". This divine condenscension on the part of Almighty
God, in the person of the Eternal Son, to take our human nature and become man
- the Man Jesus, is beyond our comprehension. Equally incomprehensive is his
vicarious death. Again the Evangelists draw the picture and we behold -
"Christ the mighty Maker die for man, his creature's sin". Without
his birth there could have been no death and without his death, his birth would
have had no point. These truths concerning the Truth, are God's appointed means
by which we enter into truth, the means by which we find ourselves able to hear
his voice.
For that birth and that death
let us say with the Psalmist "bless the Lord O my soul … all that is
within me bless his holy Name".
We send our greetings in
Christ and our good wishes for the coming year.
Hilda and Montague H. Knott.
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