4Ü #307

Living Lights

20 December 2007

WASSUP - Stay in touch
INSIGHT OUT - God is with us
OUTSIGHT IN - Living lights
SEE YA SUNDAY - Christmas traditions
LAST WORD - Love is born

WASSUP - Stay in touch

My last 4U for 2007.
I'm feeling almost "write-out".

As I think about the tradition of the Christmas letter, "I bring you good tidings / news", I realize it's all about staying in touch.
That's why I write 4U each week, to stay in touch with you.
That's why Christmas comes around every year,
to remind you that God also wants to stay in touch.

I'll be taking a break from writing over the next month but be assured you and I have many more adventures to go on and I'd love to share them with you.

In the meantime ...
have a blessed Christmas
stay in touch

Andrew

PS don't forget 10 @ 10

INSIGHT OUT - God is with us

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" which means, "God with us."
Matthew 1:23

A little child, a shining star,
A stable rough, the door ajar,
Yet in that place, so crude, forlorn
The hope of all the world was born.
Anon

OUTSIGHT IN - Living lights

Have you had enough?
It's happening in a neighbourhood near you.
The violence is getting closer to home; nearer to you.

On Monday 26th November
1.30am - Dinah Gavin (83) was beaten, bruised and left for dead in her burning home.

On Saturday 8th December
1.45am - Daryl Gordon (24) lay dying in a Howick driveway after having been stabbed.
2.30am - Three gunshots and a man is found dead in Christchurch.
2.40am - Fitz Risati (24) was killed in a "frenzied" attack.

Young people are no longer safe on our streets and the elderly live in fear in their own homes.

Living lights

Join thousands of New Zealanders this Christmas Eve for a peace vigil

During Christmas Eve take 10 minutes out of your celebrations to light a candle and stand on your street with friends, family and neighbours.

to stand in solidarity with the victims of violence
to awaken the goodness and Christmas spirit of the vast majority of our community
to say no to violence and yes to peace in our homes and on our streets

Become a "living light" for peace in our streets

Why Christmas Eve?

Could there ever be a better time when our whole community could be united with one voice calling for
"peace on earth?"

What will this achieve?

The greatest evil in our community is when good people do nothing!

By coming out on Christmas Eve you will discover that you are not alone in your abhorrence of violence and in your hope for peace.

It will be a powerful statement of unity for our whole community (age, culture and faith)

Christmas Eve Options

10 @10: Ten minutes at ten o'clock

Are you having a family dinner? What better way to have break between main and dessert than to take to your street and become a "living light" for peace in our streets. 10 minutes that's all! You may find a Christmas Angel has started the dishes.
Neighbourhoods. Some neighbourhoods have experienced horrendous violence this year. Gather a group of people and stand in that place where violence has occurred and become a "living light" for peace in our streets.
Churches and community groups. Designate a time on Christmas Eve and gather your community, become a "living light" for peace in our streets.

What kind of New Zealand do you want to live in?

The greatest danger facing New Zealand is ...

Apathy

Good people doing nothing and not speaking up

Will you become a "living light" for peace in our streets?

Please forward this email

SEE YA SUNDAY - Christmas Traditions at 8.30am and 10.30am

Why do we do what we do?
What is the value and meaning behind some of our Christmas traditions?
What are you family traditions?

A great service of traditional carols and exploration of our valued traditions

Christmas Eve

6.00pm - Pyjama Service
10 @ 10 Assemble for a 10 minute vigil outside the church with candle
11.00pm "when you wish upon a star" a service of carols and inspiration

Christmas day

9.30 am "Same story, different set" A family celebration of Christmas

Can't wait ... see ya Sunday

Thanks for this time to chat.

Andrew
St Columba
Where Life and Faith Meet
andrew.norton@stcolumba.org.nz

It's free but don't steal

If this is of help to others, you are welcome to forward it. This e-mail letter is 97% original - 3% cut and paste & 100% fat free. 4U is copyright to Andrew Norton. That means you can't cut and paste it and call it your own (that's stealing). I'm happy for it to be used but please refer to the author.

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LAST WORD - Love is born

Love is born
With a dark and troubled face
When hope is dead
And in the most unlikely place
Love is born:
Love is always born.
Michael Leunig