Sermon preached by the Bishop of Huntingdon at the Huntingdonshire Christmas Carol Service, 2011

The days of boom are now “a fond memory” and real challenges face every community in the current economic climate – the Bishop of Huntingdon, Dr David Thomson, told a congregation yesterday at the Huntingdonshire Christmas Carol Service.

Dr Thomson, in his address at St Mary’s Church, Huntingdon, said: “Whether you have had to make tough decisions or be on the receiving end of them, it’s been hard.”

He added: “And the ‘never had it so good days’ of continuous growth in our economy and improvement in our standard of living, seem to be little more than a fond memory now.”

Bishop Thomson said that the message of the Christmas Story was “both a free gift and an open invitation.”

He urged community groups and individuals to make 2012 a year “to work for the common good” rather than to “get stuck in the gloom.”

As a blue-print towards improvement, the Bishop urged the growth of new provision, strengthening partnerships and advocating strongly-held shared principles as a way forward.

A full text of the sermon is available at http://bpdt.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/together-we-can-sermon-preached-by-the-bishop-of-huntingdon-at-the-huntingdonshire-district-council-christmas-carol-service-2011/

14th December 2011