RCG Christmas Series Final Round Up – #26

I hope you have enjoyed this series as much as we have enjoyed writing it. The first thing I would like to say is that on the ‘Series Links’ page or by clicking here, you can read any post from this series. Secondly looking back, if there were any posts that you really did enjoy, then we would love it if you could s the sharing button at the bottom of each post, to share that post with your friends and family.

If you would like to read the highlights from a week from this series, use the links below.

A Christmas Message from the RCG Team! – #25

This post is going to be a very short one, as I’m sure you’ve many a plan for today. Going to church, seeing your relatives, having lunch and anything else you’ve thought of. but today I would like to take a moment to think about those who have a lot less than us, refugees especially.

“A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.” – Refugee Definition

In the Bible we read in Exodus 14:5, that the Jews would had been forced into slavery in Egypt, had been released. In this verse ‘the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled’. (Read on about the story here) God’s people at this moment in time have fled the place they have called home for so long, into the desert, where they believe they will die. They are refugees; they have been ‘forced to leave their country in order to escape persecution.’ The most important part is that God looked after them all in the barren dessert for 40+ days and nights.

Finally, returning to the Christmas Story. Mary and Joseph, once they had the baby Jesus, they also became refugees. We read about it in Matthew 2:23. ‘An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. ‘Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” Mary and Joseph and now the baby Jesus, have been forced to leave their country in order to escape persecution. Because Herod didn’t want to lose his thrown, later ‘he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem’ and the surrounding towns and area ‘who were two years old and under’.

Now, ‘after Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.’ Now the three of them have settled in, another angel comes telling them to move again.

This Christmas, enjoy yourself as much as possible and spread the joy of the Lord to all people, but remember those less fortunate as well. both abroad and at home. Those who have lost family members or have had to flee their home and family because of war or persecution. Pray or those people, and once again, Merry Christmas from the RCG Team!

The Christmas Story – #24

Being Christmas Eve, I thought it would be a good time to return to the Bible and the Gospels and tell you the Christmas story. However, as you have probably heard it a hundred times in your life, and know it inside out, I thought we could find a different way to tell it. The following video is made by Parkside Christian Church and is hilariously funny.

They got some children to tell the Christmas story as they know it, and then the church’s staff act it out. We hope you enjoy it and have enjoyed the whole of the RCG Christmas Series.

Should/Do children know about the Nativity story?

Last Christmas we uploaded a successful post, here on RCGhub about Christmas in the Media. Here it is for you to read today.

RCG

In the run up to one of the most profitable events of the year, Christmas, food, presents and Christmas cards are everywhere. In America the average shopper plans to spend $704.18 (£448.29) on Christmas gifts alone. $403 (£256.62) of that will be spend on their children. However, food and gifts aren’t the end of it. $46.73 (£29.76) is spent on decorations and lights. And in a survey 87% of people said lights and decorations, help get them into the Christmas Spirit. You can find hundreds more horrifying facts about Christmas here.

As I was reading the Metro today, this story appeared about what people know about the Nativity Story and Christmas. It read:

However some children (that’s right, the people who squeal as soon as the Christmas adverts start showing on TV), are apparently a little confused as to what we are actually celebrating.

A recent survey found that one…

View original post 164 more words