Christmas Broadcast 2010

I have been warned I may have Happy Birthday sung to me more than once or twice.

St. Paul reminds us that all Christians, as ambassadors for Christ, are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation.

It is through this lens of history that we should view the conflicts of today, and so give us hope for tomorrow.

At Christmas I am always struck by how the spirit of togetherness lies also at the heart of the Christmas story.

Being united - that is, feeling a unity of purpose - is the glue that bonds together the members of a family, a country, a Commonwealth.

All great religions have such times of renewal, moments to take stock before moving on to face the challenges which lie ahead.

My hope this Christmas is that the Christian spirit of reconciliation may burn as strongly in our hearts during the coming year.

In the United Kingdom we have our own particular sorrows in Northern Ireland and I want to send a special message of sympathy to all those men, women and children who have...

My message today is one of encouragement and hope.

Then Christmas comes, and once again we are reminded that people matter, and it is our relationship with one another that is most important.

For every poppy a life; and a reminder of the grief of loved ones left behind.

We are forever grateful to all those who put themselves at risk to keep us safe.

The Church has a duty to protect the free practice of all faiths in this country

At the heart of our faith stand not a preoccupation with our own welfare and comfort but the concepts of service and of sacrifice.

Your Holiness, your presence here today reminds us of our common Christian heritage, and of the Christian contribution to the encouragement of world peace.

I am confident that this diverse Commonwealth of nations can strengthen the common bond that transcends politics, religion, race and economic circumstances.

When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future.

The Christmas story also draws attention to all those people who are on the edge of society

The birth of a baby brings great happiness - but then the business of growing up begins.

These natural and human tragedies provided the headline news; they also provoked a quite remarkable humanitarian response.

When limitless amounts of information, much of it ephemeral, are instantly accessible on demand, there is a renewed hunger for that which endures and gives meaning.

Everyone is our neighbour, no matter what race, creed or colour.

Separation at this time is especially hard to bear.

For Christmas marks a moment to pause, to reflect and believe in the possibilities of rebirth and renewal.

By any measure this Millennium year has been an unforgettable one.

This December we are looking back not just on one year, but on a hundred years and a thousand years.

Though we each lead different lives, the experience of growing older, and the joys and emotions which it brings, are familiar to us all.

I remember my own childhood Christmases here, with my father and mother, and a great family gathering, and now I delight in seeing my children and grandchildren enjoying the...

But I cannot think of any Christmas of my reign when the message of the angels has been more apt.

So, our Commonwealth hearth becomes more precious than ever before by the contrast between its homely security and the storm which sometimes seems to be brewing outside, in...

To see British and Russian veterans standing together, in memory of the sacrifices of their comrades-in-arms, was a moving experience.

We have indeed become a global village.

I first came here for Christmas as a grandchild. Nowadays, my grandchildren come here for the same family festival.

I am constantly amazed by the generosity of donors and subscribers, great and small, who give so willingly and often towards the enjoyment of others.

I hope that all of us lucky enough to be able to enjoy such gatherings this Christmas will take time to count our blessings.

Unlike all the other planets in the solar system, earth shimmers green and blue in the sunlight and looks a very pleasant place to live.

May the Christmas story encourage you, for it is a message of hope every year, not for a few, but for all.

I hope we will all help each other to have a happy Christmas and, when the New Year comes, resolve to work for tolerance and understanding between all people.

There are many serious and threatening problems in this country and in the world but they will never be solved until there is peace in our homes and love in our hearts.