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- Wednesday, 9 December 2009
by GAVIN WARD
MCC SYDNEY
Christmas — the bells are ringing, children singing, chestnuts roasting and we all run around merrily in the snow. Well, that’s what we’re told anyway.
It has always struck me a bit strange in Australia the songs that are played in the shopping centres. I worked in retail over the Christmas period once and it would be 40 degrees Celsius outside with Frosty the Snowman playing on the radio inside. Crazy!
What was also crazy was the amount of stuff people bought. For many people it seemed there was no limit to how much they were going to spend. Maybe it was to compete with others, maybe to try and buy affection, maybe to make up for something else that might be missing.
As much as the world talks about families at Christmas time, for many in the GLBTI community, family is not a happy word. As much as we all wish for supportive and happy families, the reality is that it doesn’t always work that way.
I have a very loving family but in three years my mother only met my partner once, and then only said, “Hello”. And the hard thing to deal with was that he was not welcome to come along for Christmas Day lunch and dinner, even when other family and cousins had their partners there.
Christmas has a way of bringing home to us the things in our lives that the rest of the year we may be able to ignore. Those things that are unfair and unjust and cause us hurt, such as families and friends who cannot accept or welcome us as who we are.
The church is part of this in many cases. This saddens me as the Christmas story is all about love and hope and inclusion. Christ came into this world so that all may know the love of God.
At MCC Sydney we welcome everyone in the name of God. If you need somewhere this Christmas to celebrate and worship, I invite you to come and be part of the family at MCC.
info: Gavin Ward is pastor of MCC Sydney. Christmas services are December 24, Marrickville Town Hall, 8pm, and December 25, 98 Crystal St, Petersham, 9am.
Tags: Australia, Christmas, Gavin Ward, gay, lesbian, MCC Sydney, Metropolitan Community Church, religion, sydney
