Tilehouse Street Baptist Church: Outlook December 2025/ January 2026

Later in the magazine, under News of the Church Community, I mention that November is a month of remembrance which prompted me, as we enter the season of Advent, to write this:

Do you remember?
Do you remember the first time?
The first time you heard.

“In the days of King Herod of Judea…
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel…
In those days a decree went out…”
Do you remember?

Elizabeth and Zechariah,
Mary and Joseph,
Shepherds and Wise Men,
And all those angels!
Do you remember the first time?

Maybe at home.
Maybe at school.
Maybe at Sunday School.
Maybe in church.

The baby Jesus.
Weighing him in a manger.
Shepherds washing their socks.
The three kings travelling separately in a taxi,
in a car and on a scooter,
And hardly enough breath for Gloria!

Do you remember…
Do you remember,
The wonder?
The delight -
Of the first time?

Pause…

So what do we do now?
For this time is not the first time.
This time is the umpteenth time.

Scores of Nativity plays attended.
Hundreds of carols sung.
Dozens of sermons heard.
Sat amongst the candle light.
Hearing again the old, familiar story.

What do we do now?

We remember,
We remember that first time.
And we allow the wonder,
The mystery,
To touch our hearts again.
To see, as if for the first time,
The baby, the King of kings,
The light of the world.

And we say, Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus, come.

We have a number of particular opportunities to 'come and remember' this Advent and Christmas season and you are warmly invited. On Sunday 21 December at 4.30pm we have our Candlelit Carol Service; on Wednesday 24 December at 11.30pm we share in a Christmas Eve Vigil and on Christmas Day at 10.30am we celebrate the birth of Christ.

2025 has been a year of consecration for us as individuals and as a church. We have done that in various ways, both individually and corporately, and we have continued to walk by faith. As we step into 2026 with all of its uncertainties, hopes and fears may we take with us the encouragements and blessings of 2025 assured that, "… we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10, NIVUK) Advent and Christmas blessings,

Tilehouse Street Baptist Church, Hitchin

Outlook December 2025/ January 2026

Minister's Letter