Derby Cathedral Christmas Message

A Christmas Message from The Very Revd Dr Peter Robinson, Dean of Derby

To watch the video message please click here

Greetings to the communities of Derby Cathedral and to all our partners.

In days leading up to Christmas, I have received much delight from the children of the Derby Cathedral community. I spent time with our girl and boy choristers who were carol-singing in the shopping centre. I supported members of our junior choir leading carols at a local arts venue. I took part in leading a carol service for the students of Derby Cathedral School and I looked in on the Messy Church we held for children and their families.

We are at an exciting moment in the growth of Cathedral life as our children’s work recovers after the pandemic and as we look to the future and discover new and effective forms of outreach to young people and their families. The energy of our children bring us hope and joy, just as the birth of the infant Jesus at the first Christmas brought hope and joy to a needy and unsatisfactory world.

This Christmas is going to be a difficult one for many with fuel bills escalating and with the cost-of-living increase crisis becoming severe. The recent spell of freezing weather has already brought hardship to families and older people.

But at Christmas the love that God reveals to us in the coming of his Son speaks deep into our hearts, not least because Jesus himself was born into fractious and dangerous time. Jesus knew something of the insecurity that today’s refugee families know as his own family was forced to flee to safety from a cruel and insecure king.

The good news of Christmas is that Jesus grew up in an unsatisfactory world and proclaimed the kingdom of God, offering a fresh start in our relationship with God, based on the forgiveness of sins, inviting all humanity to come together in peace and reconciliation.

As you celebrate Christmas with family and friends let’s remember those for whom this season of good will is a struggle. We remember the families of Ukraine where the war has been going on for nearly a full year. Let’s pray for the many children who live in poverty in the communities of this diocese of Derby.

And as we celebrate the birth of Jesus let’s be inspired from the vitality of our children to reimagine together the mission and outreach of Derby Cathedral and its relationships in the year to come.

I wish you all a very happy, hopeful and joy-filled Christmas.