{"id":1388,"date":"2022-12-19T09:13:16","date_gmt":"2022-12-19T09:13:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/?p=1388"},"modified":"2022-12-19T09:29:36","modified_gmt":"2022-12-19T09:29:36","slug":"christmas-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/christmas-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1388\" class=\"elementor elementor-1388\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2753f168 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2753f168\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3e26f16b\" data-id=\"3e26f16b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-64fc71 eael-dt-th-align-center eael-table-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-eael-data-table\" data-id=\"64fc71\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"eael-data-table.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-data-table-wrap\" data-table_id=\"64fc71\" id=\"eael-data-table-wrapper-64fc71\" data-custom_responsive=\"false\">\n\t\t\t<table class=\"tablesorter eael-data-table center\" id=\"eael-data-table-64fc71\">\n\t\t\t    <thead>\n\t\t\t        <tr class=\"table-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t            <th class=\"\" id=\"\" colspan=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"data-table-header-text\">Lectionary<\/span><\/th>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t            <th class=\"\" id=\"\" colspan=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"data-table-header-text\">1st Reading<\/span><\/th>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t            <th class=\"\" id=\"\" colspan=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"data-table-header-text\">Psalm<\/span><\/th>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t            <th class=\"\" id=\"\" colspan=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"data-table-header-text\">2nd Reading<\/span><\/th>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t            <th class=\"\" id=\"\" colspan=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"data-table-header-text\">Gospel<\/span><\/th>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t        <\/tr>\n\t\t\t    <\/thead>\n\t\t\t  \t<tbody>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">Anglican lectionary:<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">Isaiah 62.6-end<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">97<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">Titus 3.4-7                                                               <\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">Luke 2.1-20<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">Catholic lectionary:<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">(both)<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">-<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">(both)<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"\" rowspan=\"\" class=\"\" id=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"td-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"td-content\">(both)<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t        \t\t\t    <\/tbody>\n\t\t\t<\/table>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t  \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4462695e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4462695e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.18.0 - 20-12-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<h5><strong>NOTES<span lang=\"EN-GB\"> TO THE READINGS<\/span><\/strong><\/h5><div><strong><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Comments on Psalm 97<\/span><\/strong><p><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Psalm 97 is called \u2018A song of praise to the Sovereign Lord\u201d- a fitting song of praise to the newly born baby Jesus Christ we celebrate at Christmas. The first verse sets the scene as we read that \u2018the Lord Jesus reigns\u2019 and that the earth will rejoice exuberantly!\u2019 In the second line we read how the multitude of islands will be glad\u2019.\u00a0 Here the psalmist shows that the \u2018Lord\u2019s reign\u2019 is not just over Israel\u00a0 but that it reaches to the far corners of the earth. verses 2-7 tell us how his enemies will tremble with fear as he rules with righteousness and judgement. Verses 8-12, however, speak comfort and reassurance to those who love and serve him. He cares for his people and provides for them.<\/span><\/p><p><span lang=\"EN-GB\">But not just those who love him. Vs. 1 says, \u2018The Lord reigns, Let the Earth rejoice even to the most distant places \u2013 the multitude of the isles. Verses 2-6 describe how the \u2018whole earth\u2019 give praise and worship to the Lord. \u2018All the peoples see His glory\u2019 \u2013 a view into the future? Revelation 1:7<\/span><\/p><p><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Note the expression in vs. 11 \u2018Light is SOWN for the righteous\u2019 \u2013 the picture of God sowing light implies that it increases more and more over time.\u00a0 Some commentators say that it <\/span><span lang=\"EN-GB\">implies that we will have enough light from God for each step of our pilgrimage. This reflects Ps. 119:105 where we read that the light comes from his Word, which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.(sowing a recurrent theme in the Gospels!)<\/span><\/p><p><strong><span lang=\"EN-GB\">\u00a0Comments on <\/span><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Titus 3:4-7\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/p><p><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Letter written by Paul to Titus, a young Greek convert. Titus served as apostolic negotiator at Corinth and on Crete. The word \u2018regeneration\u2019 in vs. 5 means \u2018becoming again\u2019. The concept here is of personal regeneration. When someone repents and confesses faith in Jesus Christ they are born again. The Holy Spirit makes them a new creation. But interestingly for today\u2019s theme vs. 7 also tells us that \u2018God saved us , through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, that having been justified by His grace we should become HEIRS according to the hope of eternal life.\u2019<\/span><\/p><p><span lang=\"EN-GB\"><strong>Comments on Luke 2:1-20<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p><p><span lang=\"EN-GB\"> \u2018And she (Mary) gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.\u201d (<\/span><span lang=\"EN-GB\">A traditional reading at Christmas!)<\/span><\/p><h5>\u00a0<\/h5><h5><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>SUMMARY OF PREACHING THEME<\/strong><\/span><\/h5><\/div><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>WHY DID JESUS COME AS BABY?<\/strong><\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Why did God in Jesus, come to earth as a baby?<\/strong><\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is often said that Jesus came to die on the cross for us and so to save us. That is true (although also to save the whole of God\u2019s creation) but did he need to come as a baby? Could God not just have introduced him as an adult. After all the first Adam appeared as a fully grown adult!<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">God did come to save us. But in his way. By being born a baby into a normal family and living life as one of us, Jesus knew, firsthand, what it was like to be human with all its ups and downs, sorrows, worries and joys. But he came to show us a different way, a way which would bring us back to what he had planned in the beginning \u2013 before we went off on our own \u2018way\u2019!<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Jesus lived life on earth in an ordinary family and understands through his own experience what it is like. But also, through his own life he shows us a better way, God\u2019s way of living. In other words, he came to live as one of us, so that we could learn to live like him. God\u2019s way.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Only so could we become a \u2018new creation\u2019 learning to live God\u2019s way. But also through Jesus\u2019 life, death and resurrection, God made it possible for us to be \u2018adopted\u2019 by him. Adoption in those days was rather different from today. Men only had one wife and children from that marriage, but they often had many children through slave women. The children from the marriage did not necessarily become the Father\u2019s heir.\u00a0 A complicated situation in our eyes but then quite acceptable. It was possible and often the case that the Father adopted a \u2018son\u2019 and heir. Made him legally one of the family and legally his heir. In those days only sons could inherit.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">That is what God has made possible through Jesus, that all (male and female) who believe in and follow Jesus will become \u2018heirs\u2019 \u2013 \u2018sons\u2019 (sons and daughters!). (which is why it is not always a good idea to make changes in biblical gender language. We are all, male and female, in this sense \u2018sons\u2019 of God.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Jesus as God\u2019s only \u2018begotten\u2019 son, that means in Greek, unique, was God\u2019s son in the sense that only Jesus is like God in nature. But Jesus by his birth and life on earth was also the firstborn of many adopted brothers and sisters &#8211; us!<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Knowing that Jesus went through life like us is also a comfort. We know that he can identify with our pain and sorrows and help us in difficult times. \u2018 Casting all your care upon God, for he cares for you\u2019.(1.Peter 5:7)<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Jesus is our pattern \u2013 as the well-loved hymn says \u2013 the one we learn to love and follow by the transforming of our minds and lives. He showed us how to live on earth.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Growing up in an ordinary family, learning his earthly \u2018father\u2019s\u2019 trade, he would have lived close to his heavenly Father\u2019s creation.\u00a0 Son of Man was the only title that Jesus himself took for himself. Man coming from Adam \u2013 meaning Earth.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Jesus repeatedly used examples from nature to make his point. In Matthew\u2019s Gospel alone Jesus introduces\u00a0 us on 27 separate occasions to all sorts of animals and birds.. Jesus even explained how birds can be evangelists! (Matt. 6. 26-7 \u2018The birds of heaven are the evangelists to the earth who sing the good news of God\u2019s providence: \u2018If he feeds us he will feed you.\u2019 God is the source of sustainable sufficiency and humanity the obstacle to it and the doubter of it. The birds by their very being challenge our doubts and kindle our faith in the generosity of his provision.\u201d (Jesus and the Earth by James Jones Bishop of Liverpool)<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In 2 Corinthians 5 we read that God has given us the \u2018ministry\u2019 of reconciliation and that we are committed to the word of reconciliation. I believe that as we face more and more devastation of creation, this ministry of reconciliation is a ministry between God, humans and creation and that we desperately need, not only to ask God\u2019s forgiveness but also commit ourselves to a new way of living, such as Jesus demonstrated, a way which in our day integrates environmental, economic and social justice<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Getting to know Jesus more and more, learning from him will show us how to walk gently on this earth, how to relate to our fellow humans and to nature \u2013 always seeking the best for both.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Why did God send his son Jesus to be born in Bethlehem? <\/strong><\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 16px;\">A. <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">God came to live among us so that we could learn to live like him<\/span>.<\/span><\/p><h5><strong>LITURGICAL RESOURCES<\/strong><\/h5><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Prayers: * all found in Candles &amp; Conifers Resources for All Saints\u2019 and Advent by Ruth Burgess\u00a0 &#8211; A Wild Goose Publication Iona Community\u00a0\u00a0 www.ionabooks.com<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Christmas Prayer by Carol Dixon\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">You came as a baby, Lord, as a little helpless child who relied on a human family to care for him.<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">You cried because you were hungry, because you were homeless, because you were a stranger far away from home. <\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">You still cry with hunger, Lord, in the voices of the many starving; your tears still flow; for the homeless, the lonely and the forgotten; you still rely on human families to care for you. <\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">And so, this Christmas, Lord, we pray: help us to be the kind of people who look for you in the world, <\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and joyfully discover you as we care for one another (and Creation!!)<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">You are deeply, deeply loved by John Harvey<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">On this night of the year, a voice is speaking \u2013 can we hear it?<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cI know the cares and the anxious thoughts of your hearts. I know the hard time you often give yourselves. I know the hopes and ambitions that you have for yourselves and for others. I know your doubts, too &#8211; even while you seek to express your belief. <\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">On this night, I want to find a way of saying to you:<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">You are deeply, deeply loved, just as you are,<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Forgiven, loved and challenged to be the very best you can be. I\u2019m speaking to you in the only way I know how &#8211; born in a stable, in a child born into poverty, soon to grow to maturity, born to show you, in a human life, the love of God\u201d <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Blessing &#8211; <\/strong><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Come, Light of<\/strong> <strong>Life by John Harvey<\/strong><\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lord, in the beginning when all was very dark, you said: \u2018Let there be light.\u2019 And there was light and life throughout the universe.<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">And when the human race was exhausted, tired and weary, in the darkness of anxiety, confusion and sin, into that darkness you came as light in Jesus Christ. God became a human being among us all.<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Once again it is dark. Not just dark at midnight but dark in ourselves: dark with fear and uncertainty, dark with confusing and conflicting voices in our ears.<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Come, Light of life, lighten the darkness in our lives with your mighty word of love. Lighten our hearts with the joy of your promised coming. Lighten our world with the hope that faith in you still brings.<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">We go out into Christmas Day in the peace of Jesus Christ. May his peace, that lightens the soul with faith, lifts the spirit with hope and leavens the world with love, be yours tonight and always.<\/span><br \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">And the blessing of God, the Creator, the Son and the Spirit, go with you, and remain with you now and always. Amen.<\/span><\/p><p><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Hymns &amp; Songs : Once in royal David\u2019s city! (Tune)<\/span><\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">For he is our childhood\u2019s pattern: day by day like us He grew; He was little, weak and helpless, Tears and smiles like us He knew; And he feels for all our sadness, And he shares in all our gladness.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-516d6092 elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"516d6092\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-654bfe6\" data-id=\"654bfe6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-570aa267 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"570aa267\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.18.0 - 20-12-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/IMG_0584-e1654441696615-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-image-242\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/IMG_0584-e1654441696615-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/IMG_0584-e1654441696615-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/IMG_0584-e1654441696615.jpg 440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4feed0d7\" data-id=\"4feed0d7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e88bf30 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1e88bf30\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.18.0 - 20-12-2023 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Revd Elizabeth Bussmann<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-14a64b36 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"14a64b36\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A priest in the Diocese in Europe, I have recently retired, after 6 years,\u00a0 from my role as Diocesan Environment Officer for the Diocese in Europe. During that time, I helped to build up the original \u2018Sustainable Preaching\u2019 website. The \u201cPreaching for God\u2019s World\u201d website has now been launched in the world-wide Anglican Communion context and hopes to be a vehicle by which we can share our diversity, our experiences and our fears but above all our hope in God\u2019s Word and goodness to us. My motivation to care for creation (all of it \u2013 humans and nature!) is based on the fact that God gave humans the mandate to care for his creation from the beginning, to care for it as He would. My prayer and vision is that all Christians may come to know that &#8216;Caring for Creation&#8217; is not an optional &#8216;add on&#8217; but the pivotal point of discipleship.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Christmas Day<br \/>\n25th December 2022<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1390,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,49,9],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1388"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1388"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1388\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1403,"href":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1388\/revisions\/1403"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/preachingforgodsworld.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}