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| Bishop of Bangor Andy John prepares to deliver. Source: Twitter @BishopBangor |
It is the time of year when bishops feel the need to send their personal messages to the declining flock that is the Church in Wales, their Christmas messages.
Hot out of the blocks was +Andy of Bangor who tweeted about his Christmas message preparations which he was building around thoughts of a White Christmas.
In his videod message +Andy speaks of Generosity, something conspicuously lacking in the bench of bishops unless you are in their club.
Next out was ♀ June of Llandaff praising the Emergency Services. They began their carol service in Llandaff Cathedral with "the familiar phrase, that the ‘people who walked in darkness have seen a great light’. " True but they have seen the light as shed by the bench and left in droves.
Following on ♀ Joanna of St Davids portrays the Son of God as an asylum seeker who 'began his life as a refugee', something she has been experimenting with by attempting to displace retired male clergy in her diocese.
Swansea and Brecon's ++ John picks up on the refugee theme (brownie point there for Joanna) when considering hush time, a period to recall "the vital importance of things like justice and truth, generosity and compassion, love and forgiveness" as taught by Jesus Christ but completely forgotten by the bishops of the the Church in Wales unless directed at their favoured minorities.
St Asaph's + Gregory opens his Christmas message with a reference to 'Aunty Maud' as he wonders "what messages you’re hoping to hear this Christmas....whether you need reassurance, comfort or hope." - see above!
Mixed messages have been coming out of the diocese of Monmouth for months. There is no Christmas message, just the Waiting.
