Ring Out Wild Bells

Christmas 2020

Dear Renew Network,

In 1850 Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote a Christmas poem titled, Ring Out, Wild Bells.” Instead of exalting the baby Jesus, it describes a year that has much in common with 2020. He writes of ringing out the year with its false pride, civic slander, party strife, foul disease, lust of gold and wars of old. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could simply ring out all that is wrong, unloving and unjust in our world? Oh that we could be done with the racial unrest of this past summer, the contentious election, and the devastating virus that took away our growing economy and brought us death in 2020. But hope is more than putting the past behind us.

Tennyson also speaks of what we should ring in. In some ways he points us to a time to come – perhaps a time when Jesus will return. He mentions ringing in the love of truth and right, the common love of good, the thousand years of peace and the Christ that is to be. But our hope is built on more than the future reign of Christ.

We will never ring out all the tribulation in this world. It is utopian and futile to think that can be done. As Tennyson alludes, tribulation is with us for now. While that is true and there is something to be said for letting go and looking to the future with hope, Jesus points us to a deeper truth. He says to us,

In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer,
I have overcome the world.

We at Renew encourage you to ring in the good news that a baby born of a virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit has come. He is God with us. He has come and He has overcome! He has come that we might know our worth and experience the joy that is meant for all to know. And He calls us to come – come and follow Him. He has also overcome the darkness of all that is untrue, wrong and evil. Through Him, we too overcome. We have reason to be of good cheer. Jesus is the light of the world!

Let us not forget that we have seen a mighty move of God in our own denomination.

Despite strong forces that have pulled us in competing directions, officially our doctrines have held firm. With the development of the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace, our church finally accepted the reality that some ideas are incompatible and cannot be held together. Despite the delayed General Conference and the uncertainty that came with the postponement, we are moving forward.

As we ring out 2020 and ring in 2021, let us look within and ring out that which hinders and ring in “the way, the truth and the life, that Jesus came to bring each and every one.

The Network hopes you will find hope, peace, joy and love as you celebrate the coming of the Christ Child this Christmas.

This year when you make your end-of-year giving, I hope you will include Renew Network. Visit the Renew website to download or print the Donations Form. Or you may designate a check to Renew Network and send to:

Good News
P.O. Box 132076
The Woodlands, TX  77393-2076
Fax: 832.813.5327

In His Service,
Katy Kiser
Renew Network Team Leader

Katy Kiser

Katy Kiser

Katy teaches in her local church and serves on several committees. She served for seven years on the Good News board of directors. Along with writing for Renew, Katy is a freelance writer, and co-author with Faye Short of Reclaiming the Wesleyan Social Witness – Offering Christ.
Katy Kiser