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James 1:27 NLT

'Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.'

Last Christmas a friend of mine worked with his wife to provide a social space for people who would be on their own. It was facilitated by the local Churches Together group. It offers the opportunity to demonstrate the welcome and hospitality Jesus offers to all. Now, for a lot of people the pressure of their family Christmas will mean they need to rush home after the service. Yet, for a number of others, there is no one and nothing to rush home for. What a beautiful gift, enabling lonely people to find fellowship together on this day of all days.

I confess that my favourite activity on Christmas Day is the church worship gathering. In our church it’s at 9am. I love the families, the excited children and the congregation swollen by visitors staying with friends and family. It is a brief hour of singing carols and celebrating the incredible incarnation of Jesus. Our church has a crib and I loved the fact this year there was a photograph of a teenage boy included among the usual suspects, symbolising the displaced peoples at Christmas who Jesus has not forgotten, reminding us to offer our prayers and any other support we can.

However, I would love to serve my brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who have been bereaved in the year and face their first solo Christmas. We can all too easily assume everyone has some family somewhere to celebrate with over Christmas, but it is a misplaced and false assumption.

Now’s the time to consider if you can mobilise others and provide an opportunity for the lonely in the church to have something of a Christmas moment before heading back to your own celebrations. It would be helpful to have a large notebook open in which you could encourage people to write up their favourite Christmas memory. What a record that would provide for future church generations.

QUESTION: How could you make space for people who might be on their own at Christmas?

PRAYER: Lord, at Christmas we remember that you gave us the gift of your presence. Help me see ways I can make that gift to people too.