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Good morning. Only one more Saturday to go before Christmas and if you’re a football fan you’d normally be checking fixture lists, making arrangements to get to the game and wondering whether your team will be moving closer to the top or bottom of the table over the crucial festive period. Only this isn’t a normal season and instead supporters will be wondering how well the planned pilot schemes will go, when crowds will be able to return to their stadiums, and how bad the injury lists are getting. For many clubs outside the Premier league there’s huge anxiety whether there will be agreement on a financial bailout to enable them to survive to the end of the season.

It’s a worrying time for clubs and the communities which support them. However, amidst all the fears and concerns, there is at least one amazing and uplifting story - and that’s of Wrexham FC which has just been taken over by Ryan Reynolds, the Hollywood actor and star of the popular Deadpool movies, together with his friend Rob McElhenney. Why lowly Wrexham of the Vanarama National League? It’s a little hard to tell, though my wife Jenny - who’s been a supporter since her teens, and who still remembers their glory years in Europe in the 1970’s - reminds me that they’re the third oldest football team in existence. Whatever the reason, this news has given one team and one community cause to celebrate into the New Year. And maybe that’s something we all need to hear at this time; a message of hope and a reason to dream amidst all the various challenges we face – for after all, this is what lies at the heart of the Christmas story.

Heavenly Father, Amidst all the challenges and uncertainties which we face, help us to hear the message of hope which you reveal in the birth of your Son; and may we be inspired like him to dream of your coming Kingdom, Amen.