A Christmas message from the Rural Dean of Bicester and Islip rings out, reminding shoppers of the true meaning of the season. – Vintage Photograph

Description

The pre-Christmas shopping season is in full swing in Bicester and Islip, with streets decorated and pavements crowded with shoppers weighed down with parcels. Amid the bustle and busyness, the Rural Dean of Bicester and Islip reminds shoppers of the true meaning of Christmas: that God’s love is displayed in a new-born baby in Bethlehem.The pre-Christmas shopping season is in full swing in Bicester and Islip, with streets decorated and pavements crowded with shoppers weighed down with parcels. Amid the bustle and busyness, the Rural Dean of Bicester and Islip reminds shoppers of the true meaning of Christmas: that God’s love is displayed in a new-born baby in Bethlehem.

Dimensions: 14.5 x 14.5 cm

IMS SKU: SCAN-NQOX-04690494

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OCR computer generated text:

A Christmas message from the Rural Dean of Bicester and Islip The pre-Christmas shopping spree is certainly hotting up! The shops are decorated, the pavements are crowded with people weighed down with parcels, and, like our fathers before us, we and our families are preparing for the great mid-winter festival when we look forward to the lengthening of the days and the coming of the light. But from time to time, another element breaks through. A Star of Bethlehem appears in the illumina- tions; a crib is seen in a shop window; carols are heard in the streets and an angel is printed on a postage stamp. We are made aware of the Christmas story and we trudge home with our shopping a little wistfully, wondering about it all and in our heart of hearts, in Thomas Hardy’s words: “Hoping it might be true. Bicester and Bethlehem: there isn’t much to choose between them at this time of year with the bustle 08 of the shoppers and the bustle of tourists who have come, some be- lieving, some wistfully, to the Church of the Nativity where it all started. In both places the bustle and busyness can drown the reality of what happened there. Come to think of it, it was very like that in Bethlenem all those years ago at the time of the census. The bustle and the hurry could easily have caused you to overbok what happened in the table where God’s Son was born, powerless and vulner- able. The appeal of God is first to the heart. Only if we lovingly ollow His star to Bethlehem will we come to see His love displayed in a new born baby. Even in the rush o our pre- Christmas shopping we can try to remember Him and not let Him be forgotten. A very Happy Christmas to you all. David Wainwright DEC 1983