My granddaughter, Michaela, like most children at this time of year, has been quite excited about Christmas. The prospect of receiving some very interesting presents has brought a real sparkle to her eyes. When she has seen pictures of Santa in the newspapers or seen him on T.V. or in the flesh, there have been quite animated discussions about what he might bring.

One day when she came home from nursery school, out of the blue, came the question, "Why is it Christmas?'' I said that it was the birthday of Jesus, which seemed to satisfy her. She was later heard singing, "Happy Birthday Jesus!'' On reflection it occurred to me that perhaps I hadn't fully answered her question, "Why is it Christmas?'' The real answer is to be found in the scriptures, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.'' (John 3:16) God's love for the world was such that he gave his only Son, Jesus, to be born and to die for us. Jesus is the Saviour of the World. In St. John's gospel we read, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us''. (John 1:14).

THE RT. REV. EWEN RATTERAY Bishop of Bermuda *** The Eternal Word of God came into our world in the Person of Jesus, born of Mary in Bethlehem. God emptied Himself of His glory to become one of us. This is the great mystery that calls forth from us -- Adoration, Wonder and Praise.

And it is the reason for all of the varied forms of celebration that take place around this time.

The magnitude of God's love and his humility in sharing our humanity, inspires us to be loving and generous towards family, friend and stranger. Would that that spirit were to continue beyond Christmas! But sadly the generous spirit and the loving gestures tend to be discarded along with the old Christmas trees and broken ornaments. It need not be so! We pray that Christ may dwell in our hearts, allow him to come and take up permanent residence! He will direct and rule our every thought and action. Then every single day will be "Christmas Day'', for the Child Jesus will be with us.

I wish you all Peace and Happiness this Christmas and always.

MOST REV. ROBERT KURTZ, C.R. Bishop of Hamilton in Bermuda *** At the end of June this past year, I moved to Southampton. I moved into a beautiful little house with the name of "Glendalough''. The name comes from the shrine of St. Kevin in Ireland. The house was the retirement residence of Bishop Brian Hennessy who bequeathed it to the Diocese when he died on February 13th of this year. May he rest in peace and receive the reward of his generosity.

I mention this fact because "Glendalough'' sits at the foot of Lighthouse Road leading to Gibbs Hill Lighthouse. Every night my house is bathed in the light of that beacon of hope and at this time of the year I can read the message in the red and white lights which crown the lighthouse: "Merry Christmas''. The season and feast of Christmas is like the Gibbs Hill beacon, sending the light of hope into a troubled world. All we have to do is read the paper or watch the news on TV to be reminded that we live in an imperfect world. We live in a world where there is too much pain and suffering, too much oppression and injustice, too much selfishness and greed.

MOST REV. ROBERT KURTZ, C.R. Bishop of Hamilton in Bermuda *** Yet, at Christmas time we see numerous signs of live and generosity and hope is re-born in our hearts.

I live to imagine myself at the side of the shepherds in the Gospel story of Christ's birth as they gazed in wonder at the bright light in the December sky. I long to hear with them the voice of the angel who says: "Do not be afraid.'' We all need to hear the reassuring message of the Angel: "You have nothing to fear.

I come to proclaim good news to you tiding of great joy to be shared by the whole people.

A Saviour has been born to you...to enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death: to direct their feet into the way of peace.'' The angel calls the shepherds and each one of us to new hope and to renewed faith in Jesus. He is the reason for all hope. The child, born in poverty, wrapped in humble cloth and lying in a manger is the Son of god become man. He is Emmanuel -- God with us. The child shares our humanity and our weakness, but He saves us from our fears as well as our sins. He is the Saviour. He is the light which shines in the dark corners of our world. He illumines our personal world as well as the world at large. To all of us who sit "in the shadow of death'', Christ comes to bring us the hope of new life, both new and in eternity.

Dear friends, like the beacon of light from the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse which pierces the darkness and gives hope, the Word of God assures us: "Be not afraid.'' God (Emmanuel) is with us. Christ, our hope, is born for us and for our salvation. Be glad and rejoice! Let the lighthouse message shine out to all Bermuda: A very Merry Christmas... Be not afraid! THE REV. MALCOLM L. EVE Presiding Elder AME Churches *** "And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn'' It wasn't then and it is not today, when the greatest event in the history of the world was about to take place, the prince of peace, the saviour of the world was born in a stable because there was no room in the inn. We marvel at the insensitivity of the innkeeper, but are we any different today, are we not guilty of doing the same thing with Jesus, in this complex, contemporary, computerized society, with so many demands being made on us, so many things monopolizing our time and our energy. We find ourselves relegating Jesus to the stalls of our existence. In the celebration of is birthday, we have allowed things to take precedence over Christ. So many today have no room in their hearts, no room in their lives, no room in their schedules for the Christ of Christmas.

THE REV. MALCOLM L. EVE Presiding Elder AME Churches *** There is an urgent cry in our midst for harmonious relationships toward one another, between Government and people, between labour and management, between classes and races of people, even in our very families there is a need for unity and harmony. We hear so many voices, with so many suggestions for solving our problem, we hear of all kinds of panacea being proposed, but the answer is to be found in God's love gift to all of humankind...whether you be Jew or Gentile, Protestant or Catholic, Moslem or Christian, labouring with the chaos in Northern Ireland, tensions in the Middle East or crisis situations here in our backyard, Christmas still gives us hope, Christmas gives us joy and Christmas will bring us peace, if we will find room for Jesus to come to us and abide with us, our God, Immanuel.

The A.M.E. churches in Bermuda wish for you an abundance of God's blessings during this season, and pray that they will overflow into and throughout the New Year.

REV. HENRY SHEPHERD Christ Church Warwick *** It was a tiny light that was lit in the stable at Bethlehem when a child was born to a Jewish carpenter and his betrothed. It took angels and a star to bring shepherds and wise men to the manger. Many failed to recognise the Light of the World, from Herod to the religious leaders of God's people.

We are still slow to recognise him, too preoccupied with what money or power can buy in happiness or security, to mark the challenge of a vulnerable babe to our accepted values, to feel the penitence his light demands of us. `The darkness has never comprehended the light.' But John is also saying `The darkness has never put that light out'. In spite of Herod in his raging, of religious scribal authority, of Roman justice at the Cross, in spite of dark ages, of scientific progress, of modern ideologies, the light shines on.

`The darkness has never mastered it.' All of us, Christian believers of every tradition, come to the cradle in penitence and wonder. We draw our light from the Light of the World and reflect him to all who enter the house. May his blessing be yours this Christmas.

CHURCH CHU