you are, however hard whoever you are, however hard life has become. however difficult it is. however much you feel you may have messed things up and how broken things seem. you are absolutely all invited. there is space around the table and, wonderful, good news, there is space at this table with your name on it. god has come to us, god has come to us in his sonjesus christ. god has come to us in the likeness of our own flesh and blood because god counts us in,

whoever we are. we are welcome. and right now, this christmas, god's church itself needs to come again to the manger and strip off herfinery come again to the manger and strip off her finery and kneel in penitence and adoration, and be changed. at the centre of the christmas story is a tiny vulnerable child, a child that herod's furious wrath will seek to destroy, for like every tyrant, herod cannot abide

arrival. and i believe that the church of england, the church of england i love and serve needs simply to look at this vulnerable child, at this emptying out of power to demonstrate the power of love. for it is in this tiny, vulnerable child that we are invited to see god. if you are invited to see god. if you are in love, show me. if you have love in your hearts, embody and demonstrate that love by what you do. this is what we learn

at the manger in bethlehem. to put the needs of others first. those who are cold and hungry this christmas, those who are victims of abuse and exploitation. those who like the little holy family had to flee oppression and seek refuge in a foreign land. we, the followers ofjesus today and all of you who have found yourself in this cathedral church this morning, we have nothing to boast except what we

see and in this manger. and is this not a message for the world as well in all its need, confusion and sadness? don't just talk about justice, don't just talk about justice, don't just talk aboutjoy, just talk about justice, don't just talk about joy, don't just talk about service, don't just talk about service, don't just talk about service, don't just talk about love. show me. amen. there is the archbishop of york, stephen cottrell,

concluding his christmas sermon. delivering remarks at a time when the church has faced a lot of criticism this year over its handling of various abuse scandals, but stephen cottrell will be taking over many of the church's leadership duties on the 6th of january when the archbishop of canterbury, justin welby, who resigned last month steps down.

let's ta ke let's take you away from the beautiful york minster on christmas morning and show you what's going on in sandringham. at saint mary magdalene church in sandringham in west norfolk where the royalfamily in sandringham in west norfolk where the royal family are inside. their traditional christmas morning service has been going on since 11 o'clock and we are waiting for them to come out very soon. they are all there but notable exemptions prince andrew and his absence was confirmed after an alleged chinese spy had been in contact with him. and the

controversy meant that a few days ago, we heard that prince andrew would not be attending this sandringham service and instead celebrating christmas at home in windsor. now we are wondering how soon the royals might be emerging from little st mary's magdalene church in sandringham. there have been so many people queueing throughout the morning, spending christmas morning, christmas eve night waiting to catch a glimpse of the royals up very close, and they have been queueing and we are not disappointed when shortly before iiam are not disappointed when shortly before ”am the royal family walked past. but all sorts of people there waiting to see the royals walked into church as they do every

christmas morning at sandringham. sandringham has been the place where the royals have spent christmas since 1988, the customary seasonal meeting place for the family. as i say, prince andrew's absence was confirmed after the chinese —— alleged chinese spy was banned from entering the uk, nevertheless he is banned from the christmas service. we can rejoin our royal commentator. and caroline, i don't know how long this service normally lasts. you would know that better than i do. �* , ., would know that better than i do. �*, ., ., ., do. it's not elongated, shall we sa . do. it's not elongated, shall we say- her _ do. it's not elongated, shall we say. her majesty - do. it's not elongated, shall we say. her majesty the - do. it's not elongated, shall- we say. her majesty the queen was not keen on very long church services. interesting to

see them all walk across from sandringham house earlier. in her latter years, sandringham house earlier. in her latteryears, her sandringham house earlier. in her latter years, her majesty used to gracefully sail across in a royal car and used to gracefully sail across in a royal carandjoin used to gracefully sail across in a royal car and join the rest of the family. but it isn't long, but it is the spirit of christmas. yes, it certainly _ spirit of christmas. yes, it certainly is. _ spirit of christmas. yes, it certainly is. the _ spirit of christmas. yes, it j certainly is. the popularity spirit of christmas. yes, it i certainly is. the popularity of this moment, so many people giving up their christmas mornings, perhaps even their christmas eve night to be at sandringham just to see that walk abide by the family. always. i mean, some people got there last night, thank goodness! it's a mild and moist christmas, otherwise it might be a cold weight, but i think this underlines the interest in the royal family and this underlines the interest in the royalfamily and i suppose you could say it's an expression in solidarity with the family that although very public, very privileged people have dealt with problems that the rest of us do. there can't be anybody watching this on

christmas day who hasn't had someone in their family affected by cancer someone in theirfamily affected by cancer or had it themselves. and of course it is no respecter of rank, palace or person. it is one in every two people who will have a condition with this awful condition. so i think there's a special feeling about this today. i was talking earlier about the special feeling at the royal christmas lunch as they gather together. almost certainly, many of the people there today will be very much there today will be very much there today will be very much there to show support, love and there to show support, love and the spirit, as i said earlier, of hope going forward for the royal family. of hope going forward for the royalfamily. we of hope going forward for the royal family-— of hope going forward for the r0 alfamil .~ ., ,. ,, royal family. we also discussed earlier the _ royal family. we also discussed earlier the notable _ royal family. we also discussed earlier the notable absences - earlier the notable absences from the line—up walking into church a little earlier. tell us about that, talk us through who isn't there.— us about that, talk us through who isn't there. every year, of course, there _ who isn't there. every year, of course, there is _ who isn't there. every year, of course, there is will _ who isn't there. every year, of course, there is will they - who isn't there. every year, of course, there is will they or i course, there is will they or won't they about the sussexes who are having a much warmer

christmas over in sunny montecito. i don't think anyone seriously thought they would turn up to sandringham this year, although i'm sure the king would welcome them they chose to come. they are having a quiet time with their children, archie and lilibet, and of course the big news is the absence of prince andrew who yet again finds himself mired in controversy. although, of course, he has strenuously denied passing on anything of import to his chinese connection that has been allegedly accused of spying. that's difficult, and of course his ex—wife sarah will be spending christmas with him to keep him company. i can't help thinking as i say this little line comes into my mind that to journalists, prince andrew isn't just for christmas, journalists, prince andrew isn'tjust for christmas, he has four life! he is the journalistic gift that keeps on giving, isn't he? and of

course, lack ofjudgment going forward. ifeel sorry for course, lack ofjudgment going forward. i feel sorry for his brother who is put in a difficult position because blood is supposed to be thicker than water but there's been a lot of comment online and social media about people saying they king should be even tougher towards his brother because of the potential damage he might have done to the image of the royalfamily. but he might have done to the image of the royal family. but come on now, the queen herself very successfully cancelled prince andrew, that must have cost her at the time of the jeffrey epstein affair. so all very unfortunate that the family cannot be whole lot christmas which is a time for families, but there are reasons here. how lovely to see the rest of them though, and that princess beatrice is there to represent prince andrew's family. so there is a member of his family there, just not him. the elephant in the right royal

room! �* ., ., ., , room! and caroline, what is the da for room! and caroline, what is the day for the _ room! and caroline, what is the day for the royal _ room! and caroline, what is the day for the royal family, - room! and caroline, what is the day for the royal family, what l day for the royalfamily, what is in store for the rest of the day? how do they celebrate? is it the same every year or are there modifications? has prince charles introduced something new this time? i know we have a speech in a different location but in terms of how they celebrate christmas behind closed doors, what is that? it is tradition with a capital t and the best ever description of the royal christmas was the one given by edward viii, the king who abdicated just before christmas 1936. and incidentally all the delivery boysin incidentally all the delivery boys in london were singing a new carol that year, hark the herald angels sing, mrs simpson has pinched the king. he described a royal christmas as being dickens but in a faberge frame. i think that probably holds well today. it's just like ours, there is the

turkiye, everything of course of succulence and excellence. the meal is not dragged out for ages, it's usually over in an hour, but they do like playing games and our late queen was particularly fond of shards. it is said her margaret thatcher imitation brought the house down christmas after christmas. and they will have opened their presence yesterday on christmas eve. that's a german custom that queen victoria and 1525 00:14:29,158 --> 00:14:29