The carols teach us that Christmas brings “tidings of comfort and joy”, yet for many across Wales this year, joy feels in short supply. Families are struggling with rising costs, public services are stretched, and the quiet anxiety of uncertainty lingers in our communities. Even within our churches, many leaders and members are simply tired. They’re tired of carrying, tired of caring, tired of holding hope when the world feels fragile and dark.
And yet, the story of Christmas begins in darkness.
The angels’ song of “good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10) didn’t ring out over a peaceful land but over people weighed down by Roman rule, economic hardship and a longing for change. God’s answer wasn’t a policy or a programme but a person. Into that weary world came a Saviour who still meets us where the light seems dimmest: Jesus Christ.
The good news we hold
At its heart, Christmas reminds us that our hope is not rooted in circumstances but in Christ. The incarnation declares that God has not abandoned us. In fact, He has moved into the neighbourhood. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Heaven touched earth, and the ordinary became sacred.
For church leaders and members alike, this season invites us to return to the simplicity of that truth. Before we plan services, carol events or community meals, we remember that we are proclaiming Immanuel. Mae Duw gyda ni – God is with us.
That message, shared with humility and joy, still has power to change hearts and homes across Wales today.
From valleys to mountains, there is hope
The story of Wales is one of song, struggle and spiritual awakening. From the chapels of the valleys to the shores of the north, west and south, our land carries echoes of prayer and praise, the legacy of revival and the longing for renewal.
"From the chapels of the valleys to the shores of the north, west and south, our land carries echoes of prayer and praise, the legacy of revival and the longing for renewal."
This Christmas, as we light candles and sing ‘Ar Gyfer Heddiw’r Bore’ or ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’, we are part of that same story. We join the generations who have found light in the darkness because of the One born in Bethlehem.
We live in a culture that often feels defined by cynicism and fatigue. Social media fuels outrage, politics breeds frustration, and many quietly question whether anything really changes. In amongst all of this, the church’s call is not to compete for attention but to embody a different spirit and sing a different song.
What if this Christmas, the people of God in Wales were known less for what we oppose and more for the hope we offer? Hope that listens. Hope that serves. Hope that stands beside the struggling and prays for the broken-hearted.
This season calls us back to simplicity.
The light we bear
Jesus told His followers, “You are the light of the world.” That’s not a grand slogan; it’s a calling to live as people whose lives reflect His light.
For some, that will mean welcoming neighbours who have no family nearby. For others, it will mean quiet faithfulness in a small chapel or a community hall, praying for renewal. Each act of love, each whispered prayer, is a candle in the darkness and together, those candles can light a nation.
At Christmas, we celebrate that the light still shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. That’s not wishful thinking; it’s a promise grounded in the resurrection power of Jesus.
A call to churches across Wales
As the Evangelical Alliance in Wales, we believe this moment is not one for despair but for rediscovering courage. Let’s continue to be communities of presence in both word and deed, reminding Wales that there is still good news, still great joy and still a Saviour who has come near. As the recent Faith in Wales report demonstrated, the church across the nation is having a significant impact.
This Christmas, may we once again carry that light into our valleys and villages, our towns and cities. And as we do, may our weary world glimpse afresh the hope that only Jesus brings.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5
Uniting in prayer reminds us of a deeper story for our nations
Nathan Sadler reflects on the 2025 Wales Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast Find out more
