This is what the jumper is telling the world, we all BELIEVE!

Bren Brundritt is one of a number of Baptist ministers who is wearing the M&S 'believe' jumper this Christmas (and beyond). She explains why 

I have never been a leader nor a follower of fashion. For me, comfortable is always in style, neither have I been a fan of the Christmas jumper day made popular in recent years. However, when I saw the photo on social media of a female priest wearing her collar under the latest M&S Christmas jumper, I decided to get myself a piece of the action.

I ordered my best new jumper of the season, collecting it two days later from my local M&S. I promptly unwrapped it and put it on, and – oh my, it was amazing. It fitted perfectly, it was warm and very snuggly and it had that wonderful word BELIEVE emblazoned across the front. And so I took a photo and posted it onto the Clergy Mummies page on Facebook with the comment, “look, I have mine too”. I was delighted and posted my photo on the website and quickly became part of the #TeamBelieve.

The women in the collage wearing this jumper may be from different denominations, some may wear robes and stoles all the time, some of us only wear a collar on certain occasions, but we all have one thing in common, and this is what the jumper is telling the world, we all BELIEVE!

What do we believe?

We believe that Jesus' birth is the real reason for Christmas.

We believe that this is not just a time of celebration and feasting, but a time to remember the poor and the lonely, to care for the stranger and offer a place for the refugee.

We believe that the son of God came to earth, not as a great king, not born in a palace to a rich couple, but as a tiny, vulnerable baby, born into poverty to a carpenter and a teenager, in a cave in the roughest part of a village and put to sleep in a manger, the tray where the animals feed from.

We believe that this awesome God chose to come and share our pain, our hunger, our hurt and our fear, but in that sharing he showed us that he was the light, the one who can help us to help others.

We believe that his presence is with us, not just on Christmas day, but on every moment of every day of the year, offering us grace and mercy, showing us how we can love God, love our neighbours and love ourselves.

And this is why I will be wearing my jumper, not only throughout this entire Christmas season, but beyond, to encourage others to hold on to that belief, even in the darkest times, even when we are lonely, or anxiety has us in its grip, we can still believe and hold onto that hope that Jesus believes in us and he is on our side, every minute of every day.
 

The Revd Bren Brundritt is a Baptist minister 

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