A dark shadow has been cast over the Christmas celebrations by the tragic death of the husband of one of the staff at Albury School: Carol Brace-Day’s husband has been killed in a road accident.

Our deepest condolences are with her and Zara, her young daughter, and all the rest of her children and family. The greeting of “Happy Christmas” seems a little hollow at such times.  I was pondering over this as I write my Christmas cards. Each year there are some friends who have faced personal loss or suffering during the previous twelve months. I am thinking of my dear friends whose daughter has been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer; and an aunt whose husband died a few months ago: “Happy Christmas” needs to be tempered by sensitivity to their true feelings.

A different greeting must be sent; yet we want especially at this time to reach out to them and express our concern and sympathy. 2009 has not been a good year for many people. I need hardly remind of the monetary crisis which has caused many to lose their employment and even their homes, and many more to fear for the future; the war in Afghanistan bringing death and suffering for some, and anxiety for us all; the natural disasters of climate change around the world, even threatening our own country; the crisis in democracy through the MP’s expenses issue.

Although there have been good things too, and real achievements, perhaps the majority of us will look with some relief and hope to a new year and a fresh decade. As Christians we are people with hope, a hope which is founded upon our trust in the goodness of God. It is not a hope we can articulate easily or comfortably to a grieving widow or an anguished parent, nor a hope that hides its face from disaster; but it has deep and strong foundations in Christ. Like a flower blossoming in a stony place, this hope struggles into the light and gives us courage to move into an unknown future.

Chris Boulton