I believe in the promise of Christmas
and the importance of celebrating it in the church.
I believe in the God at the centre of Christmas,
whose hope for the world was imagined by prophets.
I believe in Mary,
who sang of turning the world upside down
and who allowed her life to be disrupted by God.
I believe in Joseph,
whose broken heart broke the rules
to do the right thing.
I believe in the smell of the stable –
I believe there is no place where God will not go.
I believe in the shepherds,
those simple ones open to hear the angels’ song.
I believe in the Magi,
the ones outside the faith, outside the community
who searched out the Holy.
I believe in Jesus,
born in poverty,
soon a refugee,
raised in faith,
lived seeking justice,
died speaking forgiveness,
rose with a love that could not be stopped.
I commit to use this season
to seek out the Holy
both in God among us,
and in God beyond us.
I open myself to an Advent journey of great joy
that will change my life.
(based on A Christmas Creed by Walter Russell Bowie)
