The Bishop of St Asaph will use his Advent Message to remind churches of God’s special concern for children.

His Advent Message will be shown, heard or read in churches across the Diocese of St Asaph on Advent Sunday (3 December). The message is available in five formats in both English and Welsh.

Quoting from the Gospel of St Matthew, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, says Jesus gives a “stern warning” to those who cause the downfall of children in any way. He goes on to unpack the passage from Matthew chapter 18, picking up three key issues:

• Firstly, we should speak up for the concerns of  “the children of Ukraine or the children of Gaza or the children of Israel” or the “children of refugees.”
• Secondly, we need to ensure the church is a safe place for children and vulnerable adults. He says: “Safeguarding is important to the Church because, just as Jesus cares for the little ones, the Church must be a safe place, a place where the vulnerable can come and find safety.”
• Thirdly, Bishop Gregory says “we need to be a community that puts the values of children first, in the way that Jesus did.” He goes on to celebrate the work of our 50 Church in Wales Schools.

Each year, Bishop Gregory films an Advent Message which is shared in more than 200 churches across the Diocese of St Asaph, one of the six dioceses making up The Church in Wales.