On Christmas day at our church we hosted a meal for 86 people. Those invited were homeless, vulnerable, or did not have family to spend Christmas with. It was an amazing day and well worth the effort. Many people turned up who were expecting a Christmas dinner but for some it was an unexpected turn of events.

On my table a Chinese lady with her six year old son had arrived at church that morning for the service, but when her son smelt the food he was keen to stay and be with the church family. This lady had been in England for three months and was unfamiliar with our traditions or for that matter the whole meaning of Christmas. The event unfolded to her family as a completely new experience and we had the joy of explaining what we ate and why we did the things we did.

Her son had come to church through a friend at his school and dragged his mum along each week. She was beginning to discover who Jesus is and what it is like being part of the church community. It was wonderful to see the awe of her son as Father Christmas came into the room to hand out presents - and even more surprise when he saw Father Christmas remove his costume after the event. (It was explained to him that this was not the real Father Christmas because he had visited the children the night before!) He was delighted to receive a present. The whole afternoon was a really special time for this family, and for us too, to participate in their first Christmas in England.

Another lady told us her story at Thursday Women this week. She had met up with a relative who needed some support over Christmas. As they came out of the tube station instead of turning right she turned left and was passing the church as the morning service was on. She had been to one or two meetings before so decided to drop in. One of our leaders was talking to her at the end of the service and invited her to stay for lunch. They were delighted to have somewhere to go on Christmas day because she had not really thought about what she was going to do to entertain her relative. Being with the church family really blessed her.

Neither of these ladies are Christians yet but they have found our hospitality on Christmas day a very compelling witness to the love and compassion of those who love the Lord and wish to reach out to those in need.

I was struck by the fact that many of us who came on Christmas Day did not on the outside appear to have any special purpose for being there. However, there are many people who find Christmas difficult for one reason or another and being part of the wider church family can meet a deep need. Some were serving, other guests, but all were blessed by this expression of love on what can be a day of mixed blessings.