St. Luke 2:10: "And the angel said unto them fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people!"

These words made up the opening statement of the most significant announcement in human history they summed up the effect of what was to follow by calling it "GOOD NEWS!" What made it good was that it was inclusive. It validated the dignity of every human being ... it was good news because Christ's birth was the solution to humanity's fundamental problem! It was Good News because it induced JOY in spite of the shameful examples that have been recorded. It is still Good News because it outlasts the abuses committed in its name without losing any of its potency!

Joy instils its peculiar power within the recipient without respect to circumstance or condition. In times of oppression, the Good News sustained men and women with the hope of liberation. In times of persecution, it gave them courage. Joy never bows to happiness or hurt, joy remains consistent in an inconsistent world, and that Good News is still being heralded today, and it's GOOD because all can rest on the fact that it was not biased by political favour, nor tarnished by economic influence.

The anchor man was an angel who broke the story that the Creator had become a creature, that Divinity became humanity in order to share our lives so that we too could share the Good News in spite of negativity, doubts and fears that one encounters along life's journey!

Jesus was born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. So it si with the Joy of the Gospel that the Presiding Prelate Bishop Zedekiah L. Grady and Mother Carrie R. Grady and members of the Bermuda Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church wish for all of Bermuda, Christmas blessing during this season and health and joy in the New Year!