Superintendent Minister Circuit Administrator
Rev Patrick Gbanie Kandeh MA, BA (Hons), CTM, CTPS
office@southbedsmethodist.org.uk

Circuit Christmas Message from the Superintendent

Dear Friends,
Season’s Greetings! Yet again we are all watching and waiting to celebrate the birth of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus with great joy on Christmas Day. The festive season is one of the
most family-oriented celebrations for each one of us. A time when we come together again
to eat turkey dinner, to light the Christmas trees, to give and receive gifts, above all to thank
God for his goodness and mercies.

Christmas Day has traditionally been a day for children, a day when our children wake up
early in the morning to find out what present Santa or Father Christmas has brought for them.
Christmas is a time of giving and receiving of gifts in the same way that the wise men (the
Magi) brought gold, frankincense and myrrh to the new-born king to Jesus. Before the Covid
19 pandemic of 2019, Christmas Day is also the time when our Churches are usually full with
members of our families and friends from all over, joining us in the singing of carols and
celebrating the birth of Christ. Although this may or may not be so this year. I hope that this
Christmas brings you all the good news of hope, peace, joy and love as the whole world look
forward to getting through this difficult time of Covid 19 pandemic and economic crises.

I pray that the Almighty God through the coming of his only dear Son on Christmas Day will
once again transform the world as a place of hope, peace, joy, and love. I know I can count
on you to take the message of Christmas around the community by personally reaching out to
your friends and families, members of your community over this extra-ordinarily strange
Christmas festive season.

My prayers are with you all and your love ones at this time, especially when we cannot get
together in fellowship in ways we would have preferred and know best, traditional Christmas
parties, worshipping in the usual way and organising carol services on a big scale.
Wishing you all a joyful and wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year in advance,
and may the God of every season bless you all now and always.

Yours in Christ,

Patrick