2025 is fast ending and as I look back over the past 12 months since I last wrote my Christmas greetings, I have to say that this old world is getting worse every week, in what it delivers to its people. Almost every day we waken up to news of an atrocity somewhere in the world, just in the past few days we have seen the horrific murder of innocent Jewish people celebrating in Australia by two ideologists with hatred in their hearts for that community, then we hear of another in America where someone decides he wants to murder students at a University Complex only to be compounded by the murder of parents by their son also in America, of course in Britain we have not escaped these tragedies, just a few months ago a brutal attack again on the Jewish community in Manchester and who will forget the slaughter of those three innocent little girls in Southport last year, again by an ideologist. The world need changing and that is what Christmas is all about, Christmas time is not about tinsel and toys, food, or frolics but rather about a baby who was sent to earth to save the world from such as I have mentioned earlier.
I know that some families connected to our Institution will not be celebrating Christmas this year as they usually would because of bereavements in the past few months, and to them, I offer my condolences at this difficult time.
We as an Institution are forever grateful for the sacrificial service given by our security forces, today, the world looks a very dangerous place with threats from Russia, China, Middle East countries and not forgetting the terrorists here in our own lands so to all security force members and especially those belonging to our Institution we thank you for your service and assure you of our prayers. We also thank those who serve us in the NHS and our prayer is that this Christmas time will be a quiet one for them.
Christmas time, is for many a time of good cheer with family members who live abroad coming home for the holiday season, that is great, my wish is that you will all have a great Christmas time, but there are others in our communities who will have no one coming home, maybe no contact with anyone at all, so to my fellow Sisters, and Brethren I say please look in on these folks, whether you know them or not, a word to them will bring them cheer and encouragement and may even lead to friendship.
My greeting this year seems gloomy, its not meant to be, rather an invitation given with cheerfulness, Friends, I do not need to expand on the reason for Jesus coming to this world , you have heard it many times, so remember there is hope for the world at this Christmas time and it came in the form of a baby, a gift from almighty God, born in a stable, born to save the world of its sin.
Will you trust this Jesus, this would be a good time to do it and get the best gift ever and its free. This is my invitation to everyone who has not yet got this gift.
In closing l wish all Orangemen, Sisters, Juniors of our Institution and supporters wherever you are in the world a Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.
Rt. Wor. Bro. James Anderson Imperial Grand Master
