Writing this letter to you there are only 40 days left to Christmas. But there's still plenty of time to do everything that you traditionally do. By the time you read this, there'll be fewer little windows to open on your Advent Calendar and less time for your Advent Candle to burn down but, in the inimitable words of the late Clive Dunn from Dad’s Army : ‘Don’t Panic!’

On the first of November we celebrate the feast of All Saints, we honour in a special way the ‘little’ saints, that is those who will never be officially canonised. The saints show us what human beings are capable of. They show us that good is more natural to us than evil. It is good to be reminded that human beings have such potential.

In Matthew’s Gospel 10:26-33 when Jesus sent the apostles out to proclaim his teaching openly and to witness to him before the world, he knew they were fearful. And had good reason to be fearful, knowing that they would have to face hardship and persecution. So, not once but three times he said to them, ‘Do not be afraid’.

My first words to you all must be ‘a Happy New Year’ as a new Methodist year begins. This lovely and unique greeting in the life of Methodism is sadly dying away like many other things in our tradition that we love and cherish.