Our Bishops and Bishops Designate are busy this Advent season sharing the good news of Jesus' birth with hundreds of people across the diocese.
In the lead up to Christmas, Bishop Steven created a Lego Advent wreath which he shared with children, challenging them to do something similar. Each bishop has also created a Christmas video message, which you can find on our YouTube channel - alongside some special videos from our link dioceses, showing how the season is celebrated across the world.
What would you like to see?
Christmas services | Christmas messages | Christmas videos
Christmas services
Bishop Steven will be preaching at Christ Church Cathedral on Chistmas Day. You can watch on the Cathedral YouTube channel.
The Revd Canon Mary Gregory, who will be consecrated Bishop of Reading in the new year, will be leading the Christmas Day service at Coventry Cathedral, where she is working as Canon for the Arts and Reconciliation.
The Revd Canon Dave Bull is preaching at the midnight communion service on Christmas Eve at All Saints Marlow. Dave is currently Team Rector with the Marlow 4U churches, and will take his place as Bishop of Buckingham in the new year.
Bishop Gavin will visit Bullingdon Prison for their morning service on Christmas Day.
Bishop Steven and Bishops Designate Mary and Dave will appear on your local BBC radio station on Christmas Day.
Christmas messages
Read a message from Bishop Designate Mary below, and stay tuned for messages from our other bishops and bishop designate.
Bishop Designate Mary
Almost always, the birth of a baby prompts us to look forward. There are all the practical preparations to make, of course – crib, pram, tiny clothes, first teddy bear – but we also dream of what the baby will be like and who they will become. The birth of a baby also invites us to reimagine ourselves, to work out who we will be to them and with them and for them. Wonderfully, in their birth we are reborn – as parent, grandparent, sibling or aunt; reborn, too, to innocence and hope and possibility.
At this time of year, of course, we’re marking the birth of a very particular baby, of Jesus, God born to be with us, for us. And just like the birth of any other baby, Jesus’ birth centuries ago in Bethlehem, his re-birth in nativity plays and carols services and cribs – his birth and re-birth invites us to look forward and to reimagine ourselves.
Because Jesus is born, we can look forward, with hope, because he is the Prince of Peace who births light in our darkness, and will one day birth us, through death, to life without limit, world without end.
Because Jesus is born we can look forward, with deeper understanding and renewed purpose, because he embodies God’s words; words that now, in him, we can see and are called to imitate in reshaping the world as a place where all can flourish, where all can know that they are loved.
And because Jesus is born, we’re invited to reimagine ourselves as children of God, sisters and brothers of Jesus.
Early in the new year, I’ll take up my new ministry as Bishop of Reading. This is not a birth, exactly – although I’m so aware that as a ‘baby bishop’ it’ll feel as if I’m learning to walk and talk all over again. This is not a birth, exactly, but it is a new beginning – and not just for me.
This new beginning will invite us:
- to reshape ourselves as the people of God;
- to discover what God is calling us to for such a time as this;
- to take good risks as we serve those around us;
- to become more and more ourselves so that we can flourish together.
A baby has been born! And that birth means, for us, renewed hope and purpose and understanding; means being born again into a fresh awareness of our identity as children of God. I’m so looking forward to all that lies ahead – to see what will be birthed amongst us in the months and years to come.
And so, happy, happy Christmas!