Christmas poetry at Redeemer

“The Wonders of His Love” - Redeemer Church London carol service

Sunday December 14, 2025 at 4.30pm and 6.30pm

University of West London

There’s less than a week to go now until this year’s annual carol service at Redeemer Church London on Sunday.

Church member STEVE PAGE has been spreading joy with his poetry for years – and we often hear his latest offerings at our Christmas services.

Here, you can enjoy three he put together this time last year. We hope to see you this Sunday!

CHILDREN UNDERSTAND

Children understand loveliness.

They recognise the aroma,

the touch of love,

the echo of hearts

that rise to adore.

Children understand loveliness.

They recognise the savour,

the weight of feast,

the press of voices

that sing with laughter.

Children understand loveliness.

They recognise Christmas

within the heat,

the fire and glory

of Christ's forgiveness.

Children understand Christmas.

Look to them.

SAVIOUR

This month I call you Saviour.

Mostly, instinctively

I call to you as Lord-God and Father.

Typically these are the names

I call to mind at early dawn.

But this month you are Saviour

as I become more acutely drawn

to my need to call on your saving grace

on your sacrificial willingness

to cast off the trappings

wrapped up with heavenly glory

to embrace the blood and the mess

that comes with small town nativity.

This month I address

my Hosannas to you,

my divine infant Saviour.

GIFTING

When does a gift given become a gift received?

If a gift is not accepted, is it a gift indeed?

If a gift is left unopened is the gifting actually achieved?

(Is a gift not a gift if it is rejected?

Does it lose its giftedness when refused or neglected?)

Does the gift itself retain some kinetic gifted energy?

Or does it need the active catalyst of reception

to truly be the gift that its giver intends it to be?

This Christmas be sure to accept your full responsibility

to receive with a fully open heart as well as open hands

this gift I give to you from me.

(I've left the receipt in the bag.)

#RedeemerRecommends - Women of Colour on the Word of God

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the bible, and when it comes up in a Bible in a Year or CBR reading plan, it can often be met with trepidation. This 176 verse poem is a challenge for even the most dedicated biblical scholar to read in one go!

And so I perhaps shouldn’t be surprised that His Testimonies, My Heritage - a series of devotionals based on the chapter - has opened my eyes to just what a glorious passage it is to read, especially when broken up into individual stanzas. Every section is a fresh reminder that in order to live a life which honours God, we must be those who are dedicated to his word!

The book includes an individual devotion for each of the 22 stanzas - or subsections - of the Psalm, interspersed with poems which are inspired by certain verses or passages.

Each devotion and poem is inspiring, challenging, eye opening, and that’s not all! Every chapter in the book is written by a woman of colour. This is one of the highlights of the book for me, the fact that the devotionals are written from a perspective from which we simply do not hear enough when studying scripture. Each of the women who have contributed to this collection brings personal testimonies and experiences into their writing, but also do an amazing job of reminding us that all Christians have a united hope and spiritual heritage rooted in the word of God.

We are living through a time in history where the unity shown within the church is a bright light amidst the darkness of division that we see throughout the rest of society. Reading this book has not only given me a greater recognition of the importance of the word of God in my life, but also has reinforced in me the importance of allowing men and women from every tribe and tongue to guide me in that study of God’s word.

I will leave you with a paragraph from the foreword of the book, written by Kim Cash Tate:

I could go on and on about this treasure. But I need you to dive in for yourself. No matter what your background or ethnicity is, you will be enriched by the window you gain into the lives of these amazing sisters in Christ. And you will be immensely blessed as they lead you, verse by verse, to a deeper understanding of this majestic psalm.

Lockdown Diaries - Mandy

Today we launch a new blog series - Lockdown Diaries, where we hear from members of our Redeemer family about how they have seen God at work in their lives, even in the middle of the current lockdown.

Today’s lockdown diary is written by Mandy Hudson.

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“We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

 2 Chronicles 20v12

We are living through probably the most unsettling few weeks of our lives.

I’ve been a Christian for over forty-three years now and have been blessed by having a close relationship with Jesus. My personal circumstances haven’t always been easy, but God has proved His faithfulness time and time again.

Just before lockdown, my care needs had been re-assessed by adult social care. The process, which had been nothing short of traumatic three years ago was miraculously completed in eight weeks enabling me to benefit from agency care when the social isolation rules were enforced.

This is just one example of God’s marvellous provision for me in these difficult times we are all facing. 

The most unsettling part of this crisis for me was when we were moving towards lockdown. I found myself having to shift gear from a life hurtling at great speed to a complete standstill in a matter of days.

I wasn’t at all well when the lockdown began. It’s at these times of greatest weakness, I find that God makes His power and strength perfect. He proves His grace is sufficient. (2 Corinthians 12 v9). What a comfort to be safe resting in Jesus at these times.

Don’t get me wrong - these are tough times. 

I thought I’d be able to roll along in my own little happy spiritual bubble – until the morning I woke up to find someone had dumped a bed immediately outside my flat. I was so angry and upset by it. I had to realise one can never escape one’s own bad temper!

Thank you, Jesus, that you love us unconditionally and are constantly refining our character. These weeks are the perfect opportunity to learn more about how we live life to the full as we keep our eyes fixed on Him

Hallelujah!

Mandy Hudson

Redeemer reads 2 Corinthians 10

Welcome! Over the week we are going to be reading 2 Corinthians together as a church, 1 chapter every week day. We’re encouraging everyone to read the passage, pray, and share with a few others what they felt God was pointing out to them in his word. Every day we’re going to be hearing from someone at Redeemer about what they felt God pointed out to them as they read the passage.

This morning Mark is sharing with us, you can watch his video above. Read on to hear some more thoughts on the passage, and to get some ideas for further study.

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What's the beautiful thing that is replaced or ruined by pride? What does God love so much that he must hate pride with all his might? The answer is plain from all these texts.

• He loves the heart that boasts in the Lord.

• He loves the heart that gives him credit for what he alone can do.

• He loves the heart that relies on his power.

• He loves the heart that wants him to get the glory in all things and that wants the power of his Son to shine in our weakness.

And if you have caught on to the essence of Christian Hedonism, you will know that when God delights in this, he delights in the deepest, most satisfying human experience possible. Because:

• We were made to boast in God.

• We were made to give him credit for all good.

• We were made to rely on his power.

• We were made to magnify his glory and his all sufficiency in our weakness.

This is the source of all ultimate joy and satisfaction. If God were to delight in anything less than our boasting in him, he would be an idolater and he would be a killjoy. Pride diverts our capacity for exultation from the galaxies of God's glory to the gutters of our puny achievements. It is a decorated dead end street.

Therefore, God hates pride. And we should hate in ourselves what God hates in us, and wield the sword of the Spirit as best we can to slay this dragon in our souls.

God Is Amazing

God is amazing.

This doesn’t seem like too big of a statement to make at the beginning of a Christian blog post, but surprisingly, even as someone who has been a Christian for over a decade, it is something that I still find myself saying every time I am intentional about spending time with God.

He really is spectacular, wonderful, inspiring, mind-blowing, powerful, merciful, gracious, the list goes on. Every time I actually sit down and spend time with him (which is not often enough), more of his character is revealed to me, and it blows me away.

The Psalmists tend to agree, as is written in Psalm 139:17 - “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” 

During this time where the pace of your life may have slowed a little, I would encourage you to be more intentional about spending time studying the word of God, spending time with him, exploring the mysteries and wonders of his love, grace and mercy towards you. You will not be disappointed.

A Bruised Reed Walking

As you will no doubt be aware, the recent covid-19 outbreak has changed everyone’s lives to a greater and a lesser extent. As a church we know that many members of our family will be self-isolating, working from home, or practicing social distancing over the coming weeks. We are hoping that through a series of blogs we can encourage you, and others who might be reading these blogs, to fix your eyes on Jesus, and respond to the crisis in a way which honours his will for our lives.

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Father, I need a break -
I step outside to clear my head.
the cold wind grips me, and I shiver
quickening my step, I feel it push back
it is a spring evening, normally streets are busy, but there is not a car in sight
few busses pass by, fewer passengers inside
people rush in and out of a 7/11 shop
I hear arguing in houses and on streets
the atmosphere is tense
our neighbourhood still has empty newbuilds
but it's in the middle of two estates,
I love this part of town, its people, its flavours, normally teaming with life
I walk past an elderly lady, carefully measuring her steps
a man hurries past, face covered deep under a hoodie
together we fight an invisible enemy
we help each other by keeping a distance

Lord, how is life going to continue?
Rumours spreading on social media
Fear creeping into feeds
Fact and fiction mingling, people keep sharing
Worries fill my mind

Then I turn a corner, what I see takes my breath away
out of nothing, a beautiful evening sky appears
orange, pink and purple light on fluffy clouds
it is marvellous, "I made heaven and earth" a voice pops into my consciousness
Thank you, God

I cross the road and notice sounds are softer near the canal
Instead of barking dogs and arguments, birds sing their eve songs
Cherry blossoms, strangely bright in this light
"Peace, I give you" the still little voice continues
I breathe in deeply, the wind tastes fresh
Warmth is spreading through my body as my muscles move
A tree boasts tender shoots on every branch
"I promise, there will be better days"
As nature holds its breath during winter, we too hold our breath
This spring seems to be delaying its relief
But we are invited to breathe freely, keep a clear head.
"Am I not in charge?" God's voice asks quietly
Crises come and go, people seem to forget
"Nothing new under the sun"
"Be courageous and strong. Do not be afraid"

These are exceptional times, but people tend to be the same
The ones who take more than they need, have always done so
Affluence and greed, another more subtle pandemic
Others serve their communities, and have always done so,

A less appreciated contagion
On a daily televised government status update, the Chancellor said, "We will remember how we took care of each other"
Coronavirus is a chance
What is my priority, my personal comfort or the public good?
"What you have done to the least of these, you did to me"
Jesus cares about our behaviour towards those in need, 
he identifies with them, he IS them.

As the sky loses its evening spectacle glow,
I head back home with a clearer vision for our community.
Covid 19 or not, “A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice” 
Isaiah 42:3

Alpha Starts Tonight!

Here at Redeemer we want to be a church which encourages people to ask questions, and seek deeper relationship with God. You might be reading this and have a friend who has lots of questions about your faith, you might have just started coming to Redeemer and are looking for deeper relationship with God, you might not be a christian, but you’ve got an interest in finding out exactly what it looks like to live as a follower of Jesus.

If any of the above applies to you, then I have good news! Tonight is the beginning of our next Alpha course! We will be meeting at Osteria del Portico every Wednesday night for the next 9 weeks, eating great food together, hearing a talk on an aspect of the Christian faith, and then taking time to ask questions and have friendly discussion together around the topic which has been spoken on.

Alpha is a fantastic opportunity to get to hear different people’s views, and discuss what we believe as Christians, and why we believe it is worth talking about! We also hope that over the 9 weeks you will get to build great friendships and learn things about the Christian faith which encourage you to dig deeper into what it means to be a Christian.

You can hear just one story of Alpha below:

We hope to see you tonight for Week 1 - ‘Is There More To Life Than This?’

Transforming Prayer Poetry - Week 8

One of the purposes of prayer that we learnt about back in our first week of meetups was that it is an act of COMMUNICATION. Part of healthy communication in any relationship is giving space for each of you to speak while the other listens. In this week’s poem Steve Page reminds us of the importance that listening has in our relationship with God.

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Remember to Listen

Have you ever had the feeling 
while praying
that you've inadvertently 
been talking 
while God is speaking?

Don't worry -
He wrote it down for you.

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Jeremiah 33:3

#RedeemerRecommends - Vintage Worship

This week on #RedeemerRecommends we are focusing on a new worship album, released this month by Vintage Worship, the worship team from Vintage Church in Los Angeles.

The album was recorded in August 2018, as the church came together for two nights of worship, in the wake of two devastating events locally which had profound effects on the church community; The California wildfires, and the Thousand Oaks shooting.

The songs on the latest album ‘Heaven All Around Us’ reflect on God’s kindness and his grace, while encouraging us to hold onto his love and declare truth about him over ourselves as a form of restoration, even in times of tragedy and heartbreak.

Breakthrough - Men's Prayer Brunch

The 9th of February marked the first Men’s brunch meetup. A new ministry from Redeemer with a vision to bring men together to discuss one simple but important question; what breakthrough are we waiting for God to do in our lives? He is a God who can do anything, and often we simply need to hold onto faith and trust that He will provide what we need at the right time.

The first meetup saw twenty-two men from Redeemer church devour an insatiable amount of eggs, sausages, bacon and coffee whilst catching up for those with those we haven’t seen in a while. But the event also provided a friendly atmosphere for new people to make new friends. It was great to see the coffee pouring and the conversations flowing with outbreaks of laughter from one end of the table to the other.

After the mighty-meaty brunch, we all gathered around in the spacious living room to listen to our very own Francois share his testimony – a vulnerable and honest account of how he grappled with an addiction to pornography, and the way it affected his marriage. It was so encouraging to hear that despite the bondage to sin that only seemed to tighten with the passage of time, Francois learnt to lean on God and His abundant grace. God has set him free from this; providing the much needed breakthrough that Francois required, as he was able to bring himself, his marriage and his family unilaterally out of difficulty under God’s light.

The session concluded as we broke into small groups to discuss addictions that we wrestle with but focus on a real and tangible way out – by lifting our voices in prayer, and beginning to lean on God; trusting Him for the breakthrough that he ultimately provided for Francois.

Chris Sutton was then given some time to discuss the ministry he is putting together called ‘caring for ex-offenders’ before the day ended in a final prayer.

The men’s ministry will be running these brunches every two to three months and we would love to see you at the next one on 13th April. Come along and please do bring any men you know who would benefit from the fruits of this ministry (inside or outside of Redeemer).

Details of the next meetup will be given nearer the time. – Please speak to Barny, Francois or Sunny for more info.

Review by Sunny Gill

Transforming Prayer Poetry - Week 4

This Sunday, Pete Cornford helped us to grasp the goodness of the God that we are talking to when we pray, and in our meetups this week we have been discussing ‘The Pattern of Prayer’, learning from Jesus’ model of prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13.

Steve’s poem this week speaks again of God’s goodness, and the importance of pursing prayer as Jesus’ intended it; reminding us what we can expect to hear from God in return.

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Things you won’t hear from God.

Things you won't hear from God:

I'm sorry we are experiencing a higher number of calls than usual. 

You may wish to call back later.

All of our operators are dealing with other customers.

We will be with you as soon as someone becomes available.

Your call is important to us, please wait or alternatively go to our website.

Listen carefully to the flowing options.

I'm sorry, I didn't understand that. Did you say, "Help"?

Our office is now closed. Thank you for calling. 

Things you will hear from God:

"Welcome. I've been expecting you. What's on your heart?"

Week of Prayer

They say the most widely spoken prayer in modern life is simply “help me God”. All sorts of people say it, whether they believe in God or not. It’s a prayer which is prayed at different times, in different situations!

Personally, I find more time to pray early in the morning or later in the evening. It seems more natural to pray when I have time to reflect.

We know that God hears all our prayers and at Redeemer for a week every term we put a particular emphasis on meeting and praying together as a church community. Next week is that week!

Whether you are free in the evenings, or the mornings, or you want to get involved in our 24 hour prayer room, there is something available for you next week. Ealing is a very busy place, but I can assure you taking an hour out to pray with others will impact your week in a hugely positive way!

You will be welcome no matter what your situation, life experience or whether you believe in prayer or not. A prayer life can simply start with “help me God”.

To sign up for a slot in the 24 hours of prayer follow this link:

For information on all of the prayer meetings next week check out the calendar section of the website:

DEPRESSION & TEENAGERS

As teens we go through a lot, we’re a lot more emotional and there will be a lot of bumpy roads ahead and there will be times where we will hit rock bottom and think that there’s no way out. There is always a way out.

I’ve been through many many struggles and it’s gotten to the point of self harming and also attempting to take my life. Fortunately, I’m still here. I’m so thankful that I am because I’ve met incredible people along the way and my life has gotten better compared to how it used to be. If you’re going through depression or self harm then, please know that you are LOVED & BEAUTIFUL! You don’t deserve to go through this pain. Just know it is temporary and things will get better. When I was depressed and I was self harming, I wanted to isolate myself and stay away from people but I knew doing that would make me feel a lot worse. I was bottling up so much and at that point I had to speak to someone. I did reach out to family and that’s including my church family too. I was speaking out to people who I trusted and felt comfortable around. Doing this lifted a lot of weight off my shoulders. Even though I was still hurting, I felt a lot more lighter and felt like I had nothing to hide anymore.

Also, I am a strong believer in Christ and praying daily and pouring my heart to him is something that helps me incredibly. Not only did things start getting better as time went on but I built such a close relationship with God and knowing that with him anything is possible is very reassuring. As I mentioned before, life will get better, you just have to have hope. There will of course be obstacles and things will try and bring you down but that’s how the devil works. We just need to stop backing away from God and remove whatever is blocking your way to chase God. He’s opening new doors for you, he has a plan for you (which is even quoted in the bible) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11.

So, this is what I have to say to anyone who may be going through a tough time and if you’re bottling your emotions up then, it’s best to speak out to someone you are comfortable with. I promise you, you will feel a lot more better because you’re finally letting everything out. Speaking to someone may sound lame but it’s so helpful. Another thing to do is distract yourself. You can chill with your mates, watch a movie, go shopping.. Just do something that will help take your mind off the negative thoughts. For me personally, hanging out with my mates helps take my mind off anything bad that might be going on. It’s because i’m surrounded with people I know who care and who I’m happy being around. That’s another thing, surround yourself with positive people, that’s key. It makes such a big difference.

It may seem like you’re getting nowhere in life and you’re giving up but God will open doors for you. You just need to pray about it and have faith. This feeling of hopelessness, loneliness, sadness etc will pass and you will find yourself walking on the right path again.

Talk to people, pray about it and try keep your head up! ♡

Lyds x

INGREDIENTS FOR CHRISTMAS

This advent and Christmas they'll be a lot of partying going on. Friends and family celebrating life, love and friendship.  For some it will be a joyful time and an opportunity for a family break.  For others it will be tough as the weight of troubles are considered through a fresh lens.
For both, without an understanding and experience of the love and life Jesus brings, without the family of God, Christmas will lack an essential ingredient.  
This Christmas I wish you each a chance to spend time with those who love you with no strings attached.  And I pray that the Christ of Christmas will come and bring with him love, new life and family that will change your life forever.

Here's what I believe: 

I believe baubles have way too much glitter,
that another new year won't make it all better.

I believe turkey tastes bland without stuffing,
that my secret santa was better than nothing,

that rich Christmas pud needs plenty of cream,
that thin paper hats are as cheap as they seem.

I believe parties can get out of hand,
that still silent nights need to be planned.

I believe Christmas can bring people down,
that relentless fake smiles hide many a frown.

That without the real Jesus it's a real waste of time,
that if He was here He'd call it a crime:

The way we ignore those under our feet,
the times we brush past the poor on the street.

Jesus just cries to see our behaviour,
so far from the path He set as our Saviour.

So this Christmas ask Jesus to soften your heart.
He'll give you forgiveness and bring a fresh start.

You can live with new hope and sing with new meaning,
don't waste any more time with any more dreaming.

Happy Christmas to all and to all my best wishes.
May your Christmas be more than merry wet kisses.

May the God of this Christmas visit this year
and give you good reason to be of good cheer. 

By Steve Page

Not too big to weep: A poetry anthology  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1549894706/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_DGj4zbZZK23D6

A BRAND NEW SEASON

God gives us seasons for a reason

I don't like the winter months, if I could live anywhere in the world then it would be LA where it hits more or less 25 degrees everyday. 

As I sit here and look outside my window, old leaves fall to the ground and collect. The tree withers and becomes barren. As much as I love for summer to stay, Autumn is heading and I can't do anything about that...

A Time for Everything

There is a time for everything and a season

for every activity under the heavens.

A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to uproot.

A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to weep and a time to laugh.

A time to mourn and a time to dance

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-4) 

As the tree sheds its leaves, often a shedding takes place in our lives that causes us pain. In my case, I made a difficult decision to leave a situation in my life that was not helping me. This has led to loss and a mourning of what use to be and has resulted in unrest and uncertainty. I've experienced cold and dark nights where I've been forced to become dependent on God through prayer, not knowing when difficulties will end and what the outcome will be.

Growth through pain

Naturally I don't always want to embrace the pain that is often associated with growth but through the storms, all I can do is hold on and be still and know that he is God (Psalm 40:10). 

Throughout it all God points me to his mercies by reminding me that "His grace is sufficient and his power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Perhaps God allows us to experience arid seasons for that reason - so we draw close to him. He swoops us up in his arms and tells us "to fear not for I AM with you"(Isaiah 41:10). See this is not some trite platitude from God because he really was with us and he really  did live like one of us. God gave up his rights in heaven and came down as flesh and experienced every human emotion we experience so that "we don't have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses" (Hebrews 4:15) but one who suffered in every possible way. Our true companion is Jesus who wants to walk with us in season and out of season.

Surviving the storm

Weathering the storm is not easy, it doesn't just happen but it takes intentionality. In the same way that squirrels gather acorns so they have enough food for winter. On better days, I make faithful deposits by investing in my relationship with God and filling myself with his meaty truths and promises so when the inevitable strikes, I can withdraw from a full bank having roots anchored in HIM. 

Ultimately, my pain without God is pointless but my pain with God is not, and is not without effect for "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purposes"(Romans 8:28)

I understand that this can only be fully understood backwards but this is where faith steps in. My faith gives me hope that by setting my mind on the Spring around the corner, I can endure - looking ahead to the harvest that's to come.

But made to thrive

You see, we were made not only to survive but to thrive and by coming to the true fountain of living water, this produces in us a long term effect. We replenish, we soak up fresh nutrients and in the doing so God produces flourishing fruit within us.

In many cases to yield good fruit, we need to do more than just shedding, a gruelling uprooting needs to take place in our lives and a replanting into fertile and healthy soil. 

This may mean fleeing the temptations that causes us to sin or escaping the weeds that compete for our joy.  Do you know if a shedding or more of an uprooting needs to take place in your life?

Start by giving up former ways of thinking and "be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2)

Letting go and trusting God

Autumn 2017 is almost here and dark nights are drawing in. Butfinally I see a ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds in my life that assures me that my patience in him was worth it. I'm trusting in the wise words of King Solomon - after weeping there will be a time to laugh, after mourning there will be a time to dance.

Letting go is not easy but journey with God and embrace this new season in your life. "Forget the former things, do not dwell in the past for I AM doing a new thing" (Isaiah 43:18)

By Ann Ajet

Starting Oct 3, Anne is helping lead the Alpha course, which includes a weekly meal and chance to explore life and the christian faith. Get in touch for more info.