Chaplin’s Christmas & New Year’s Message for 2014
As Town Criers as we move towards the end of another year as our Civic and work life draws to a close for another year the retail premises remind us that the celebration of Christmas is almost upon us. Weather it is a religious, family or the celebrations of the summer or winter solstice it is a time of gathering family and friends together to celebrate and share in the fellowship of one another.
I would ask you all reflect on all those Criers who are not travelling life’s paths in the manner they would like and also remember the family members who are doing it tough as well. I would ask that you remember those who have vacant chairs at their tables and we remember them at this time. With many travelling over Christmas I ask for travelling mercies to all Criers and their families as they travel across this wide brown land and the world that they return to their family and friends as they left.
To those who have been impacted by the tragedies across the nation of the past week you are remembered. Should they be big or small; Martian Place Sydney, North Queensland and the loss of eight children, in my Shire the loss of four houses to Bush Fries and the large tract of land burnt out in the North East of Victoria in the last week and the many more homes which would have been lost if not for the volunteer fire fighters. As I send this letter to the Australian Criers news comes through of the Rubbish truck in Glasgow we in Australia put you in our thought right now.
As we as a community of Criers look towards the New Year I ask that we all support all our fellow Criers and families and those who help and support us through the year, and make sure that everyone we know feels they are part of a caring community. My hope and prays for all this Christmas and into the coming New Year is that feel the peace and good will of Christmas and to a for-filling New Year where all targets are met and those who are not travelling as well as they would like are in a better place shortly.
With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all
James Carter
Chaplin AHGATC