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This year 2025 the C of E’s official Advent and Christmas theme is ‘Joy’ or ‘The Joy of Christmas’. The aim is helping people remember that the true joy of Christmas is the good news of Jesus’ birth. The initiative also aims to encourage churches to welcome visitors and to share their faith during this...

In the last of our series on the Nicene Creed, we want to ask about its significance today. The original Creed dates from 325 AD, but was expanded at the Council of Constantinople in 381. Over the last months we have seen how the Creed provides a ‘big picture’ of who God is and challenges...

There are several colours that we traditionally associate with Christmas. They are green, red, and gold, and to a lesser extent, white and blue. Green: Evergreen plants like holly, ivy and mistletoe were used for thousands of years to decorate buildings during the long dark winters. The Romans exchanged evergreen branches in January to wish...

A group of bishops have joined with MPs and peers from a range of parties in a joint letter to the Prime Minster, calling for the “immediate complete removal” of the two-child limit on benefits. The Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, the Church of England’s lead bishop for child poverty issues, together with the Bishop...

Older people with depression can see a bigger improvement in their mental health if they start going to church than if they engage in charity work or sport. Research from the London School of Economics found that joining a religious organisation is the best way of combatting depression. It may be both that having a...

How many are sold each year?  According to recent figures, about five million real Christmas trees are sold in the UK each year. How old are they?  Your typical Christmas tree of six to seven feet is between ten and 12 years old. How are they grown?  Seed is collected from trees either in the...

Crisis in Gaza With much of Gaza in ruins, a number of Christian charities are running appeals this Christmas. These include: Church of England: The Diocese in Europe’s Bishop’s Advent Appeal. The Bishop in Europe, the Rt Revd Robert Innes, writes: “The headlines may be fading, but the suffering in Gaza is far from over....

This letter was written to Christians in the Macedonian city of Philippi when Paul was in prison, probably in Rome (60-62 AD). His primary purpose in writing was to thank them for the gift they had sent him upon learning of his imprisonment. However, he also uses the letter as an opportunity to report on...

 CAP (Christians Against Poverty) has launched its 2025 Christmas Appeal, to provide emergency aid and support to UK families in financial hardship this winter. The appeal aims to raise funds to provide essential assistance such as: emergency food parcels, fuel top-ups, free professional debt advice, and Christmas hampers or gifts, given in partnership with local churches and...

Even before the time of Christ, evergreen trees were seen in winter as a symbol of fertility. It was the 16th century monk, Martin Luther, who is credited with the idea of having lights on Christmas trees. He added candles to his tree, to look like stars in a forest. Windsor Castle got its first...

O Come Emmanuel – Reflections on the Advent Antiphons Women of the Nativity – an Advent and Christmas Journey in Nine Stories All You Want for Christmas Are you ready for Christmas? The Four Emotions of Christmas The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas The Lion Handbook to the Bible – 6th edition Giving...

If you want your tree to last as long as possible this year, the following should help: Cut off about half an inch from the bottom of the trunk. This opens the pores of the tree. Then place it outside in a cool shaded place, standing in water until required. Once you have brought it...