Listen out for the Angels, says the Bishop of St Asaph in his Christmas message

The Bishop of St Asaph has issued a Christmas message encouraging people to listen and look out for angels over the festive period as Wales enters another period of lockdown.

Drawing parallels between the heavenly host of angels who visited the shepherds after Jesus’ birth and the bravery and dedication of those who have served us throughout this year’s pandemic, Bishop Gregory Cameron remembers the words of the well-known carol It came upon a midnight clear. Describing it as his “carol for 2020”, it speaks of the darkness of the world, but calls us to listen to the message of the angels. The last verse ends:

O rest beside the weary road,

And hear the angels sing!

Bishop Gregory goes on to say, “2020 has been a terrible year:  the virus has cost us a lot, in lives, in livelihood, in lifestyles, and with news of the new lockdown, we all probably feel very weary.  Yet, perseverance must be our watchword, and, hopefully, 2021 will see the end of the tyranny of the virus as the vaccination programme rolls out.”

Later he says. “We are unlikely to be surprised by a heavenly host, but “hearing the angels sing” can have meaning for us – to concentrate and reflect upon the GOOD news of this year, of the bravery and dedication of those who have served us in the medical world, of the compassion and care offered by folk to their neighbours, of the love of friends and relatives.”

You can read Bishop Gregory’s Christmas message in full in English and Welsh.

At this time of year, Bishop Gregory would usually be visiting schools, hospitals and preparing for Christmas service.  With Covid restrictions in place, he has been unable to make his usual visits but has sent video messages of support.  Two films have been sent to Deeside Community Hospital which he usually visits in Christmas week, touring the wards and meeting with the Friends of Deeside Community Hospital.  A film is also replacing his usual Christmas Day visit to HMP Berwyn in Wrexham.

Bishop Gregory will preach at Midnight Mass at St Asaph Cathedral. To manage numbers and maintain social distancing, all Christmas services at St Asaph Cathedral are (free) ticket-only events. The service will be available online too and details are on the Cathedral website.

In addition, Bishop Gregory has prepared a Christmas card which can be downloaded from the diocesan website  in English and Welsh and distributed by local churches.  The card contains 12 ideas to celebrate Christmas during the 12 days of Christmas, which traditionally run from Christmas Day to Epiphany on 6 January.

In his card, Bishop Gregory writes: “I wish you a happy Christmas – not because everything is lovely, but because I believe that the Christian message of Christmas – that God was born as a child in Bethlehem on Christmas Day two thousand years ago – still has relevance today.”

The Bishop of St Asaph is pastorally responsible for more than 200 churches and congregations and 51 church schools in north east and mid Wales. He is one of the six bishops of the Church in Wales, which is an independent Province of the world-wide Anglican Communion.