Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell's Christmas message

If you’ve heard of what3words, you’ll know that they have labelled every 3m x 3m square across the surface of the earth (57 trillion of them), with a random combination of three words.

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So, in the middle of York Minster’s nave you’ll find the Fantastic Alone Button! As much as it’s fun to find meaning in these random word salads, this Christmas, we do have three words that apply to the whole of our city – chosen not by a random word generator, but by the people of our city.

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell (Image: Duncan Lomax)

Back in September, Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central, sent out a clarion call across our city, asking people to share the three words that best describe our wonderful city, in #OurThreeWords. Charities, businesses, community groups. Schools, unions and councillors. Students, carers and religious groups. People right across our city responded to the call.

And they produced a word cloud, where three words stand out, bigger than all the rest. Putting them together we get this description of York:

Beautiful Welcoming Community.

And it’s at Christmas that our community really shines.

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, stands beneath the Advent wreath at York Minster (Image: Dylan Connell)

Looking out today, I see York Cares, gathering toiletries, warm clothes and food for women’s, youth, and refugee centres. I see York Hospital working to make sure poorly children can go home to their families at Christmas, and, for those who cannot, making the hospital feel like Christmas at home. And so much more.

Coming back to what3words, it’s not possible to distil into three words the significance of the birth of Jesus Christ in a stable over 2000 years ago. But how about Love Hope Peace for a start? God is Love, and sent his son into the world because he loved us so much and does so today. Following Jesus brings hope to our world – and we need it now as much as ever as we look at all the things happening that concern us. And peace – Jesus said, blessed are the peacemakers – may we all play our part at making peace – in our families, our communities and beyond.

This Christmas, may you know the love, hope and peace that Jesus can bring.

Merry Christmas to all!

Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell (Image: Ravage Productions)