I hope that, in all the busyness of this season, you are able to find a moment to pause and reflect on the year just gone, with all the highs and lows that you will have inevitably faced.

For many of us, this day and season are filled with many core memories.

For me, one of those memories comes from when I was in Year 5. Two other students and I were chosen to be part of the Year 6 nativity. As I remember it, this was the first time my junior school had expanded the cast to include Year 5s, what an unbelievable honour. I remember feeling incredibly anxious about the performance, but also walking around the school during that season feeling like I was ten feet tall.

The funny thing is that our roles in the nativity were as assistants to the three wise men. We had no lines; we simply followed them into the scene, carrying their gifts to communicate that they were important and therefore had assistants to carry things on their behalf. How historically accurate that is, I’m not entirely sure. But the size of our role was completely irrelevant to the fact that we had been chosen.

There is something powerful that happens to a person when they are chosen. When we are selected, when someone reaches out, sees us, and includes us. It makes us feel something.

Two years ago, at Emmaus Road in Woking, the church where I pastor, we gave everyone who attended one of our Christmas carol services a wooden Christmas decoration that we had made, with the word ‘chosen’ written on it. The reason for this is that when I read the nativity story, what I see is the story of a God who chose to come to this planet because he loves it and everyone in it.

This is one of the most amazing truths of the good news of Christianity: we have a God who has chosen us. Why? Simply because he loves us.

My prayer is that at some point this season you take time to reflect on the truth that you have been chosen and that this means something. We are invited to respond to that reality: God chose us… will we choose him?

There are many amazing churches in Surrey and Hampshire, and I am sure they would all love to welcome you if you would like to explore this reality in 2026.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.