Archbishop Welby New Year message will be broadcast at 12:45 GMT from the National Memorial Arboretum. The archbishop was unable to deliver his Christmas Day sermon because he was suffering from pneumonia. In his new year address, he will reflect on his surroundings and Britains armed forces. The Arboretums Armed Forces Memorial in Staffordshire is dedicated to those who have served their country since 1948, and the archbishop will say the nation owes them a debt of unspeakable gratitude. He goes on to speak about conflict in the Middle East and Nigeria, and to the persecution of Christians and other minorities. He says the UK - with its Christian heritage - should not turn its back on the suffering. When we are at our best, living out the generosity of Jesus Christ, as that has formed itself in our national character, when we turn outwards and use our best resources to change this world in which we live, we see what a wonderful heritage we have, and the hope we can bring to the poorest and those with the greatest suffering on the face of our planet, he will say. He will talk of Britains generosity abroad, including the aid sent to Sierra Leone, which is in the grip of the deadly Ebola outbreak. In the week just before Christmas I was in Sierra Leone, very briefly, he will say. There I saw the result of British generosity, of aid poured in to support a country torn apart by Ebola, and the extraordinary dedication of British service personnel, working with charities, funded by our aid budget.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 09:42:55 +0000