FRIENDS OF CLAINES CHuRCH

Congratulations to Charlotte Jeavons aged 13, who has been chosen as the 41st Junior Bishop of Claines. Charlotte is a also a server, a regular Sunday School attendee and a committed member of the youth at Claines Church where she worships with her family.

Charlotte was installed as Junior Bishop on Sunday, 4th  December, by Reverend Stephen Agnew and will undertake a wide range of duties until  26th December. Amongst these will be regular readings, parish visits and even possibly preaching on Christmas Day!

Charlotte is the first girl in Claines to take up this post, following the decision to open up the Boy Bishop tradition to girls.

Well done Charlotte!

See more details on Claines Junior Bishops

The Christmas Sermon from the Claines Junior Bishop

Upholding a 41 year old tradition the Christmas Day sermon was preached by the Junior Bishop, Charlotte Jeavons. Read the sermon below.

Good morning and merry Christmas.

I expect this morning you have all opened lovely presents; I’ll be available at the end to receive mine!

However Christmas is not all about presents, or is it…..?

 At Christmas we celebrate being given the biggest and best gift ever….God’s son Jesus. As the Grinch famously said ‘It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags; maybe Christmas he thought doesn’t come from a store maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more.

So if that is the case, and Christmas is not sponsored by the Argos catalogue, how do we receive this most wonderful  gift of God’s son ?....

By also giving.  

 

Consider the story of the shepherds – they listened to and believed the message of the angels, and they acted upon that message.

They went to the stable to see the Christ child. Also the three wise men, upon seeing the Christmas star out on a long and difficult journey, at the end of which they knelt before Jesus and presented gifts of gold, frankincense and Myrrh.

Of course we love hearing the story of Christmas and the birth of Jesus the Christ. But does that make any difference in our lives?

Do we live out the Christmas message not only on Christmas Day but  every day of the year?

The message of hope, of love, of generosity.

Just as God gave his only son on Christmas day to all mankind,

So  I ask you to give as you live, to remember the Christmas message and to demonstrate your hope, love and generosity through giving…

And as I wish you all a merry Christmas as the 1st girl bishop of Claines Church I leave you with this thought…

’Do you know what would have happened if it had been 3 wise women instead of men that first Christmas night? Well, they would probably have asked for directions, however, they would have arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole and brought disposable nappies as gifts!

Merry Christmas to you and all your families…..

Junior Bishop, Charlotte Jeavons

with Curate, Reverend Nick Kaleniuk

 Claines Junior Bishop 2011