Do you get excited about Christmas? What about when you were a younger?
I remember that for me, Christmas seemed an almost magical time of year. The anticipation would start building as soon as the first Christmas lights were spotted. I remember being filled with wonder as, night after night, more and more light displays would appear, until the whole street seemed to become one big continuous display. And on Christmas Eve it was almost impossible to fall asleep, because I was too excited thinking about what Father Christmas would bring.
Now that I’m a bit older, I suppose some of the magic has been dispelled. Sometimes I’m in such a hurry to get from A to B that I don’t take notice of the lights displays as I whiz by, and I definitely don’t have a problem falling asleep on Christmas Eve. Don’t get me wrong. I still love Christmas. But take away the lights and Father Christmas, and you will find a message that is very real and truly powerful.
The message is this: “GOD LOVES YOU!” Christmas marks the birth of Jesus Christ, God’s own and only son. Around 2000 years ago, to show how much He loves us, God sent Jesus to live among us; to die a gruesome death; and to be raised again to life. Take time to think about this and let it sink in. The God who created the universe and everything in it cares about YOU, and will go through extreme measures to reveal his love for you. The God who has power over life and death is on your side.
In a word, Christmas is about HOPE — bringing an expectation and even a promise that great things are just around the corner.
HOPE Frome is the Christian group tasked with spreading this message of hope throughout the Frome Area by doing practical works within the community. To this end, we run a number of activities, including:
• The HOPE Van – alternate Fridays from 10pm -1:30am at St John’s Church car park
• The HOPE Rest Station – 1st Sundays of the Month at the Frome Independent Market
• Frome Live Lounge – Music with a message – monthly at Costa Coffee
• Community Litter Picks – about twice yearly
• Helping with the Frome Festival Food Feast – setting up food stalls, tables, and litter picking
2018 will be a banner year for us as it will be the 10 year anniversary of the “HOPE” movement. Stay tuned as there will be several events planned through out the year.
Gary Lee Leader – HOPE FROME
www.hopefrome.org
