So Joe Davidson sets off on the 80 mile trip south from Nazareth, County Galilee to Bethlehem (aka Davidstown), County Judah. He takes his fiancée, Mary, who’s pregnant and showing. They arrive and realise someone else is about to show! Her waters break! Crisis! ‘No Vacancies’ signs in every B+B window. Decision … Joe delivers the baby boy in a shed full of livestock. She wraps strips of cloth round the baby and uses the animals’ food trough as a cot. Matthew 2:4-7 from ‘The Street Bible’

Jesus said, ‘love God, love your neighbour, love yourself … go and do likewise’. Happy Christmas!

This is it … a new beginning. We have just arrived at our new house, in a new town … far away from where we used to live. Why? I’m not sure either of us can put it into words … we’ve left good jobs, a nice house and great friends … all of whom can’t understand why we would leave all that behind. But, we know that this is where God wants us to be even if we’re not sure what’s next! A knock at the door … our new neighbour has brought tea and a cake; ‘Hi!’ I say, ‘my name’s Mary.’

What sort of ‘Mary’ are you?

Christmas Eve and we’re out on the town … doing all the pubs before Christmas Day! The church is next to the last pub … not its usual dark and deserted … the lights are on and people are going in. We stagger up to the door and an old lady asks if we’d like to join them for Midnight Mass. ‘F*** Off!’ shouts Jay in her face, ‘you’re all nutters!’ … the others join in, shouting abuse at the people in the church. I drag Jay away … he turns on me, ‘what’s wrong with you, Joseph, you always stand up for the weird people!’

What sort of ‘Joseph’ are you?

It’s snowing and we’re on our way to Scotland. Our first grand-daughter, Alice Shepherd, was born just two hours ago and we’re going to visit her … and her mum and dad too! Our bags have been packed for days and we’ve been watching the weather whilst waiting for the phone call. The man on the news said not to travel unless you have to, but he didn’t deter us and we soon had the car packed and were on the road! Mind you, we did have time to change our Facebook status … ‘Shepherd’s have good news!’

What sort of ‘Shepherd’ are you?

‘A volunteer is worth ten pressed men!’ This is the phrase that used to drive us mad as kids when our dad used these words to encourage us to get on with the household chores that we didn’t want to do! Today I find myself facing the same dilemma, should I volunteer or not? I hear more of my dad’s words of wisdom ringing in my ears … ‘here am I send me!’ I am standing outside the homeless shelter where the notice reads, ‘Wanted! Volunteers to serve Christmas lunch to the homeless, the hungry and the lonely … Apply Within.’

What sort of ‘Wise Man’ are you?

The Tube’s busy. A group of loud, abusive yobs get on chanting, singing, offensive; everyone ignores them.  Next station: a hot Asian guy tries to get on; they won’t let him; he uses another door. You f****** p*** they shout; everyone looks down, embarrassed, not willing to get involved. I’m angry … is no-one going to say anything? I stand up. ‘Who do you think you are talking to?’ I scream. Silence! They stare at me … what will they do? Next station they get off … everyone claps! I’m Angel; a five foot, skinny, Asian girl aged 23.

What sort of ‘Angel’ are you?

When are you happiest? What is your greatest fear? What is your earliest memory? Who do you most admire? What is your most treasured possession? Where would you like to live? What is your guiltiest pleasure? What or who is the greatest love of your life? If you could go back in time, where would you go? How do you relax? When did you last cry … why? What is the most important lesson life has taught you? Where would you most like to be now … and who with? What one thing would you change in the world?

What does Christmas mean to you?

The jagged reef of rocks off Godrevy Point, on the north eastern headland of St Ives Bay in Cornwall, lay right across the natural navigation course for the harbours of Hayle and St Ives. The reef claimed a succession of victims culminating with the loss of SS Nile with all aboard perishing in 1854. This tragic incident caused a national outcry and prompted a lighthouse to be built at Godrevy. The resulting lighthouse is a beautiful and iconic structure … a place of destruction … a place of inspiration … a place of hope … as its light pierces into the dark night sky.

Where will your light shine this Christmas?