oak leaves issue 46 christmas 2012

Issue 46�Christmas�

2012�

O�

A�

K�l�e�a�v�e�s�

In this� issue�

Gone bust? _ _ _ 1-2�Still not ashamed 2�Christmas fun _ 3-4�Christmas: the full�

story _______ 5�Oakwood’s regular�

meetings_____6�For your diaries___6�

Gone� bust?�It’s been yet another difficult year, economically. Countries�across Europe are struggling to pay their national debts and�several Prime Ministers have paid the price for failing to�deliver on their promises of bringing back financial stability.�Some people blame the politicians, others blame greedy�bankers. We might not be living in Greece or Italy where the�governments have had to introduce severe austerity�measures in an attempt to rein in the national debt, but even�here – looking in on the Eurozone from outside – we haven’t�escaped entirely.�

This time last year, many schools closed for a day and other�public services were put on hold – not because of snow�bringing the country to a halt, as is often the winter excuse –�but because of a strike over pension reforms. Our government�is facing some difficult choices because the “baby boomer”�generation are starting to reach retirement age and life�expectancy is increasing. What should the government do:�raise taxes significantly to cover the expected pension bill, or�look for ways to reduce that bill?�

The coalition government has decided to take an approach�with aspects of both choices, but that’s unpopular with the�people who can see that they’re being told they’ll have to pay�more, work more, and then get less out at the end! At the�same time, some private-sector pension funds are struggling�too, because the companies they were investing in have gone�bust. On top of that, many people are seeing their wage�packet eroded by increasing inflation on the one hand, and�low pay rises, or even pay freezes on the other hand.�

All of this raises an important question: where do you find your�long-term security? Is it in your finances – the hope of a better�pay rise next year, so you’ll be able to pay off that credit card�bill? Or is it in the prospect of a good pension? The global�financial turmoil is showing us that perhaps that’s not such a�

Where do you find your long-term security?�

OAK�leaves�Issue 46�Christmas 2012� �

good idea after all. But that’s�nothing new; Jesus taught his�disciples just the same thing, when�he told them, in the Sermon on the�Mount, “Do not store up for�yourselves treasures on earth,�where moth and rust destroy, and�where thieves�break in and steal.�But store up for�yourselves trea-�sures in heaven, where moth and�rust do not destroy, and where�thieves do not break in and steal.�For where your treasure is, there�your heart will be also.” (Matthew�6:19-21, NIV).�

So, as Christmas approaches, and�we’re all tempted to spend even�more of our money on more and�more gadgets, and as we’re�bombarded with adverts that want�to persuade us we’ll be happier�

and more fulfilled�if only� we buy the�newest perfume, or the best food,�or the most ethically-sourced,�environmentally-responsible eco-�devices, just remember Jesus’�words:�all� of those things, even the�money we use to buy them, are�

going to rust away�or rot. They’ll�break down in the�end or someone�

will take them from us. And, even if�we do manage to hold on to them�until we die, what then? We can’t�take them with us.�

Where is your treasure this�Christmastime? Is it in the presents�under the tree? Is it in your job that�means you can pay for those�present? Is it in the social security�benefits that keep you afloat?�Remember that all of those could�vanish overnight. Or is your�

treasure in something secure and�unshakable, something that can’t�be snatched away from you?�

There is only one treasure that is�truly secure and that you can never�lose, and that is eternal life that�God gives those who have put their�faith in Jesus Christ. The apostle�Peter put it this way in a letter to the�first-century Christians: “Give�praise to the God and Father of our�Lord Jesus Christ. In his great�mercy he has given us a new birth�and a hope that is alive. It is alive�because Jesus Christ rose from�the dead. He has given us new�birth so that we might share in what�belongs to him. It is a gift that can�never be destroyed. It can never�spoil or even fade away. It is kept�in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:3-4,�NIrV).�

Martin Biddiscombe�

Where is your treasure�this Christmastime?�

Still not� ashamed�It’s two years since the Not Ashamed campaign,�based on the Bible verse “I am not ashamed of�the gospel, because it is the power of God for the�salvation of everyone who believes”�†�, was�launched. Since then, many thousands of�Christians across the country have signed the�declaration:�

WE BELIEVE� that Jesus Christ is good�news for our nation. He is the only true�hope and solid foundation for our�society.�

WE CALL� on government, employers�and other leaders in our country to�protect the freedom of Christians to�participate in public life without�compromising biblical teaching and to�promote in our society the values that�are revealed through Jesus Christ and�that have so shaped our nation, for the�good of all.�

Time may have gone by, but the declaration is�just as important as it was, and the campaign is�

still going strong. The central message of�Christianity is timeless and is relevant all year�round, but perhaps it’s at times like Christmas�and Easter that more people stop and think�about what it means. As Lord Carey, the former�Archbishop of Canterbury wrote in support of the�Not Ashamed campaign, “May I encourage you,�this Christmas, to listen again to the Christmas�story and to ask God to forgive you for the past,�to be with you in the present, and to strengthen�you to stand up as one of his followers, in the�year ahead and for the rest of your life?”�

†�Romans 1:16, NIV�

OAK�leaves� Issue 46�Christmas 2012��

Christmas� fun�

F� S� L� E� G� N� A� J� W� N� P�

S� A� N� T� A� T� M� Y� R� R� H�

G� P� I� A� U� B� A� U� B� L� E�

O� U� P� R� E� S� E� N� T� S� H�

L� D� K� O� Y� U� L� E� L� O� G�

D� E� Z� C� B� L� T� C� Y� G� E�

Y� P� M� E� K� F� I� G� G� Y� L�

R� P� U� D� D� I� N� G� T� X� B�

C� A� R� O� L� S� S� D� H� V� A�

T� R� U� F� F� L� E� E� R� T� T�

S� W� L� Q� H� O� L� L� Y� F� S�

Can you find all of these Christmassy words in the�grid? They could be hidden in any direction:�backwards, forwards, up, down or diagonally.�

Angels�Bauble�Carols�

Decorate�Fairy lights�

Figgy�Gold�

Holly�Myrrh�

Presents�Pudding�

Santa�Stable�Tinsel�

Tree�Truffle�Turkey�

Wrapped up�Yule log�

When you’ve found all the words, count how many�letters are left over (that is, they’re not used in any of�the words in the grid).�

How many are there? ..............................�

Turkey�

Sandwiches�

by�

A.T. Nuff�

Guessing Your�

Presents�

by�

P. King�

How to Build a�

Snowman�

by�

I.C. Fingers�

The Dangers of�

too much�

Christmas Food�

by�

O.B. City�Christm

as�

Romance�

by�

Miss L. Toe�

The Dangers of�

too much�

Christmas Booze�

by�

Ben D. Neaze�

How to get a�

Great Present�

by�

B. Good�

Christmas TV�

Guide�

by�

C. Knitall�

Here are some festive�suggestions for your�Christmas book list.�

Can you think of any more?�

...........................................�

...........................................�

......................................�

..........................................�

...........................................�

If you complete the wordsearch, or colour in the picture on the�next page (or both, if you like), and bring it along to Oakwood�

Chapel’s carol service, you’ll get a chocolatey prize :-)�

OAK�leaves� Issue 46�Christmas 2012��

Christmas:� the full story�How well do you know the�Christmas story? It doesn’t�begin in Bethlehem, or even�with Mary and Joseph on the�road to Bethlehem. In fact, it�began thousands of years�earlier, in the Garden of Eden�with Adam and Eve. Satan had�taken on the form of a serpent�and tempted them to eat the�‘forbidden fruit’, and they’d�listened to him, rather than�God. That was the beginning of�all� the troubles in the world, but�even then, there is a glimmer of�hope, and that’s the beginning�of the Christmas story,�because God told Satan: “I will�put hatred between you and the�woman. Your children and her�children will be enemies. Her�son will crush your head. And�you will crush his heel.”�(Genesis�3:15, NIrV)�. One day Satan�would be defeated. It would be�a long time coming – we had to�wait for the birth of Jesus to see�the time when that promise�would be fulfilled – but God�always keeps his promises.�

Now we can fast-forward to the�nation of Israel, 2000-or-so�years ago. This is what�happened.�

The Gospel writer Matthew�sets the scene: This is how the�birth of Jesus Christ came�about. His mother Mary and�Joseph had promised to get�married. But before they�started to live together, it�became clear that she was�going to have a baby. She�became pregnant by the power�of the Holy Spirit. Her husband�Joseph was a godly man. He�

did not want to put her to�shame in public. So he planned�to divorce her quietly. But as�Joseph was thinking about this,�an angel of the Lord appeared�to him in a dream. The angel�said, "Joseph, son of David,�don't be afraid to take Mary�home as your wife. The baby�inside her is from the Holy�Spirit. She is going to have a�son. You must give him the�name Jesus. That is because�he will save his people from�their sins." All of this took place�to bring about what the Lord�had said would happen. He had�said through the prophet, "The�virgin is going to have a baby.�She will give birth to a son. And�he will be called Immanuel."�The name Immanuel means�"God with us." Joseph woke up.�He did what the angel of the�Lord commanded him to do. He�took Mary home as his wife.�But he did not make love to her�until after she gave birth to a�son. And Joseph gave him the�name Jesus.�(Matthew 1:18-25,�NIrV)�

Luke fills in more of the details:�In those days, Caesar�Augustus made a law. It�required that a list be made of�everyone in the whole Roman�world. It was the first time a list�was made of the people while�Quirinius was governor of�Syria. All went to their own�towns to be listed. So Joseph�went also. He went from the�town of Nazareth in Galilee to�Judea. That is where�Bethlehem, the town of David,�was. Joseph went there�because he belonged to the�family line of David. He went�there with Mary to be listed.�

Mary was engaged to him. She�was expecting a baby. While�Joseph and Mary were there,�the time came for the child to be�born. She gave birth to her first�baby. It was a boy. She�wrapped him in large strips of�cloth. Then she placed him in a�manger. There was no room for�them in the inn. There were�shepherds living out in the�fields nearby. It was night, and�they were looking after their�sheep. An angel of the Lord�appeared to them. And the�glory of the Lord shone around�them. They were terrified. But�the angel said to them, "Do not�be afraid. I bring you good�news of great joy. It is for all the�people. Today in the town of�David a Saviour has been born�to you. He is Christ the Lord.�Here is how you will know I am�telling you the truth. You will�find a baby wrapped in strips of�cloth and lying in a manger."�Suddenly a large group of�angels from heaven also�appeared. They were praising�God. They said, "May glory be�given to God in the highest�heaven! And may peace be�given to those he is pleased�with on earth!" The angels left�and went into heaven. Then the�shepherds said to one another,�"Let's go to Bethlehem. Let's�see this thing that has�happened, which the Lord has�told us about." So they hurried�off and found Mary and Joseph�and the baby. The baby was�lying in the manger.�(Luke 2:1-16,�NIrV)�

The birth of Jesus was a time of�miracles – but many more were�to follow. Read more about�them in the next�Oakleaves�.�


Oakwood’s� regular meetings�Sun�days� 11:00 a.m. Morning service (crèche available)�

Acorn Club�and�Twigs�(except the first Sunday� of the month)� 4:30 p.m.� Tetris� (except the first Sunday of the month)� 6:30 p.m. Evening service�

Mon�days� 2.00 p.m. Hare Street Ladies meeting (fortnightly)�

Tues�days� 7.30 p.m. Home prayer group and Bible study�

Wednes�days� 6.30 p.m. Home fellowship group�

Satur�days� 9.00 a.m.� Prayer meeting�

A crèche is available for young children during the morning service.�Acorn Club�,�Twigs� and�Tetris� are for school-age children.�

During the week, we meet regularly for Bible study, fellowship and�prayer. If you would like to know more, please contact us! You can:�·� e-mail us at [email protected]�·� visit our website at http://www.oakwood-chapel.org.uk/�·� find us on both� Facebook�®� and� Twitter�®�

·� telephone Mike on 01279 422017, or Martin on 01279 725786.�

Oak�l�eaves� is published by�Oakwood Chapel, Hobtoe Road,�Harlow, Essex, CM20 1TH.�

A�large print edition� is�available from the editor, Martin�Biddiscombe (01279 725786), or�can be requested by e-mail.�

More information about�Oakwood Chapel, our meetings�and what we believe is available�on our website at:�http://www.oakwood-chapel.org.uk/�

Find us on the internet at: http://www.oakwood-chapel.org.uk/�E-mail us at: [email protected]�

For your� diaries�Carol� singing� Thursday 20th December� Harvey Centre, at 6.00 p.m.�

Carols� by candlelight� Sunday 23rd December� Oakwood Chapel, at 6.30 p.m.�

Christmas� morning� Tuesday 25th December� Oakwood Chapel, at 10.45 a.m.�

Watchnight� service� Monday 31st December� Oakwood Chapel, at 11.30 p.m.�

oak leaves issue 46 christmas 2012

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