Over Christmas and New year I have been thinking about the ways Jesus changes people and I’ve just read the story of Zacchaeus from Luke Ch19 v1-10. I think Zacchaeus had come along that day in order to see what kind of man Jesus was. Well, by the end of the day he had got a lot more than he bargained for or hoped for.

We hear the song of the angels In Luke`s Gospel Ch2 v 14; `Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours.`

Once again we are approaching Christmas and Peace is one of the things we always associate with the festive season. Luke Ch 1 v79 tells us that one of the reasons Jesus comes is `to guide our feet into the ways of peace.` These are among some of the loveliest words in the Gospel. Indeed, you could say they sum up the Gospel.

But peace is not merely the absence of war or dissension. It is something deeper and richer. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. Shalom conveys a sense of completeness, a state of perfect well-being.

At a recent pastoral committee meeting we remembered in our thoughts and prayers those who have suffered and died during the Coronavirus pandemic and have been, over the years, an important part of the Wesley Memorial Methodist Church family.