Weekly letter from St Luke's - 30 December 2023

Dear Parish Friends

This Sunday we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, with the reading of the visit of the wise men from Matthew's gospel. Often this is merged into the Christmas story, with the three kings alongside the shepherds in the stable, but it is a separate celebration, remembering an event maybe a couple of years later. According to the gospel writer the visitors were not kings, nor were there three of them (but yes, three gifts). What is of importance though is that, in contrast to the shepherds, these were non-Jews. Thus at the very start of Matthew's gospel account is the great promise that God has revealed God's self in Jesus to all nations, and that these wise men (probably astrologers) had seen something of our God that prompted them to seek out Jesus, even if they didn't at first know quite what they were seeking.

There will just be one service tomorrow at 9am (with Zoom streaming). The notice paper and service sheet are available via the links below.

Yours in Christ

Rev'd Timothy