Christmas on Streatham Vale Baptist Church

Imagine Peace

info@streathamvalebaptist.org.uk (Pastor Alex Camp) — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 06:40:31 +0000

The day is finally here! Christmas has arrived. We celebrate because Jesus’ coming to earth is the beginning of God’s Kingdom coming - the kingdom of God is near! The angels worshipped God saying “Peace to those on who His favour rests.”

Peace….Imagine a world at peace. And not just the absence of war, but true peace - a fullness, a wholeness. The restoring of broken things, the reconciling of all things.

Darkness and Silence: God speaks and brings light

info@streathamvalebaptist.org.uk (Pastor Alex Camp) — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 07:35:57 +0000

During the Season of Advent, we are reminded about our need to wait with expectation and hope even when it feels like we are living in darkness and silence. And so, we listen to the song of Simeon, and reflect with him as he finally sees the Messiah after (probably) decades of waiting. Simeon had to wait for God’s promised to him to be fulfilled. Israel had to wait centuries for the Messiah to come.

Violence And Redemption

info@streathamvalebaptist.org.uk (Pastor Alex Camp) — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 06:54:20 +0000

The Christmas story is not a fluffy picturesque story of peace and joy, it is gritty and real. It includes pain and scandal, violence and murder. And so, Advent calls us to pause and dwell upon the world as it is and the world as it will be. We should not ignore the reality of the world we live in, but neither should we be overwhelmed by the horror of it.

Flight and Compassion

info@streathamvalebaptist.org.uk (Pastor Alex Camp) — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 08:14:47 +0000

We consider the contentious topic of immigration and migration and what the Nativity story can teach us about how we handle this topic.

Readings

Luke 1:46-55

John 1:46

Quotes

“They might have been scavengers, trying to sponge off the goodness of others, seeking to take shelter and resources that rightfully belonged to the locals” Listening to the Music of the Soul, Guli Francis-Dehqani

“movingly convey that blessings come when we open our arms to those we do not know.” Listening to the Music of the Soul, Guli Francis-Dehqani

Good News to the Powerless

info@streathamvalebaptist.org.uk (Pastor Alex Camp) — Sun, 30 Nov 2025 08:09:10 +0000

As we start the season of Advent, we are using the Archbishop of York’s Advent Book for 2025: Listening to the Music of the Soul by Guli Francis-Dehqani. In this series we will be considering how the Nativity Story is still incredibly relevant for us today. It speaks into the big issues that we face in the world today. The first one for us to consider is how it is good news to the powerless.

Christmas Day: Mary's Story

info@streathamvalebaptist.org.uk (Pastor Alex Camp) — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Happy Christmas! Hoping you have a very love-filled and joy-filled day. It is Christmas Day! A day of celebration and joy! A day we remember that God Himself chose to come to earth because He loves us so much.

But it is also a day to pause and reflect. Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. In the excitement of presents, food, family and friends, let us not forget to treasure the greatest gift that we can ever receive - the gift of God with us!

Are you prepared for Christmas?

info@streathamvalebaptist.org.uk (Pastor Alex Camp) — Sat, 25 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Merry Christmas!! From us at Streatham Vale Baptist Church, we pray that you have a joyful, peaceful and blessed Christmas. We pray too that the wonderful news of Christmas Day, of Jesus Christ born to us, will stay with you all year long.

Prepare not just your homes for guests, but your hearts for Jesus. Allow God into your heart as you listen to this reflection

Readings

Luke 2:1-7

Love Came Down At Christmas to Reveal God is with us

info@streathamvalebaptist.org.uk (Pastor Alex Camp) — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Love came down at Christmas when Jesus Christ was born. He came to reveal to us the Kingdom of God and to invite us into His Kingdom. In Jesus’ coming we see that God is with us. He comes to demonstrate His presence, in all places, and at all times. He is with us in our workplaces. He is with us in our homes. He is with us in the world. And if we let Him, He is with us in our hearts.

Love Came Down At Christmas to Reveal Life

info@streathamvalebaptist.org.uk (Pastor Alex Camp) — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Love came down at Christmas when Jesus Christ was born. He came to reveal to us the Kingdom of God and to invite us into His Kingdom. And so, in Jesus’ coming we see life, and life to the full. The life Jesus offers is beyond compare as because He came we are accepted into the family of God. Made children of God, adopted and given new life.

So, how do we respond? Do we recognise who Jesus is? And if we recognise Him, do we receive Him into our lives as God?

Love Came Down At Christmas to Reveal Justice

info@streathamvalebaptist.org.uk (Pastor Alex Camp) — Sun, 28 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Love came down at Christmas when Jesus Christ was born. He came to reveal to us the Kingdom of God and to invite us into His Kingdom. And so, in Jesus’ coming we see justice, true justice as it is supposed to be. Justice that is gentle, God-driven, and for all. Justice that is powerful, worked out in and through us, and personal.