A message from the Dean of Southwark
The world is a fragile and precarious place at the moment. Many are living through the traumas of warfare, starvation, bereavement, and displacement. Others are finding the speed of change in society, as well as its inequalities, an unwelcome challenge to their identity and sense of belonging. At such times the temptation is to listen to those who offer simplistic solutions and scapegoat blame onto various vulnerable groups.
What does Christmas have to offer such a time of anxiety, frustration, and menace?
Christians believe that in the Christmas story - in the carols, readings and prayers - we are offered a different lens through which to look at the world. We encounter necessary truths for the human heart - caught up in a story of a couple seeking refuge, a new life coming into being, and people from different backgrounds drawn together by joy and kindness. The simplicity of the story, its belief that the earth is made for peace and friendship, not competition and hate, feels like a homecoming and a better compass from which we might navigate life. It is like a star in a dark night that wants to take us on a journey.
Wherever you are in life, whatever your beliefs, politics, heritage, and whoever you love in your life, you are welcome to Southwark Cathedral to hear this story afresh. You are amongst friends here and we hope you will feel at home.
I pray that this Christmas will contain peace for you and those you love. I hope you will have time to attend to the things that matter most. I also wish you every possible happiness in the coming year. Please come and see us again soon.
Mark Oakley
Dean of Southwark