December sees the church celebrating the season of Advent.

The old themes of this season were death, judgement, heaven and hell! The modern church has turned these into something more appealing and positive.

Hope, peace, joy and love are now the weekly themes for the four weeks of Advent and they urge us to overcome evil with good.

We believe that God’s love is unconditional, He has a purpose for each one of us, His new life will surge through the dark places of this world and His kingdom will come.

This thread runs throughout the church’s teaching and has prompted many changes to improve standards of life across the world.

Christians with others have influenced freedom from slavery, taught that each human life is sacred and proclaimed that all people are worthy of respect and to be treated with equality.

The season of Advent is a time to prepare for Christmas. Taking time to stand back and reflect encourages us to work together to maintain those hard-won standards and values of living free from all forms of discrimination and oppression giving us such hope for the future.

Every blessing,

Canon Alec

Cathedral of The Isles, Cumbrae