It is important that Christians in Fiji help their non-Christian neighbours understand the depth of the Christ‑event, that it is not just a religious festival.

This is the Christmas message from Methodist Church in Fiji’s General Secretary and President-elect Rev Epineri Vakadewavosa.

Vakadewavosa says this season is therefore not just the celebration of a past event but the participation in the act of hoping and envisioning a world where kindness and humility are not seen as weaknesses.

Methodist Church in Fiji’s General Secretary and President-elect Rev Epineri Vakadewavosa

He says before Santa Claus, before the giving of gifts, before the public holiday and festivities, God chose to be incarnated in Jesus, a brown Middle Eastern child of Jews who was born in a stable because there was no room at the inn.

Vakadewavosa says as they prepare for Christmas, in the midst of preparing for safety during the cyclone season, there should be a reflection on the significance of Christmas, the birth of the Messiah who sought out the least in the community so that they would experience the compassionate heart of God.