0:00:08 > 0:00:10Whenever I make a broadcast like this one,
0:00:10 > 0:00:13I'm acutely aware of the gap between what I'm seeing here
0:00:13 > 0:00:15and what you're looking at at home.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19You see me now sitting quietly in my study.
0:00:19 > 0:00:20What I'm seeing is a small crowd
0:00:20 > 0:00:23of wonderfully expert and efficient technicians doing the filming,
0:00:23 > 0:00:26meticulously checking the pictures and the sound.
0:00:27 > 0:00:28What we see happening
0:00:28 > 0:00:32is only a small part of what's going on in order to make it happen.
0:00:32 > 0:00:33And this last year,
0:00:33 > 0:00:36we had a chance to notice this for once in a very vivid way.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46The extraordinary events of the Olympics and Paralympics last summer
0:00:46 > 0:00:49provided an unforgettable spectacle.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52But everyone who visited the Olympic site or watched the broadcasts
0:00:52 > 0:00:55would have been made aware of the army of volunteers
0:00:55 > 0:00:57who cheerfully gave up their free time
0:00:57 > 0:01:01and worked away without complaint all hours of the day and night
0:01:01 > 0:01:03to make these great events happen.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05They were the key people
0:01:05 > 0:01:08who translated the Olympic vision into reality for the rest of us.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10It ought to make us think a bit harder
0:01:10 > 0:01:14about all the other folk who quietly, often invisibly,
0:01:14 > 0:01:18turn vision into reality and just make things happen,
0:01:18 > 0:01:19especially volunteers.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23Stephen, was it?
0:01:23 > 0:01:27Here at the Robes Project, over 20 local churches are combining
0:01:27 > 0:01:30to offer food and shelter to homeless people in London.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33It's the face-to-face contact, actually feeling
0:01:33 > 0:01:36that there is something that you are able to give of yourself
0:01:36 > 0:01:39rather than just from your wallet.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41They're just like you and me.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43I mean, having been made redundant,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45I could have been made homeless myself, so...
0:01:47 > 0:01:51Religion here isn't a social problem or an old-fashioned embarrassment,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54it's a wellspring of energy and a source of life-giving vision
0:01:54 > 0:01:57for how people should be regarded and treated.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00So let's recognise this steady current of generosity
0:02:00 > 0:02:03that underlies so much of our life together in this country
0:02:03 > 0:02:05and indeed worldwide.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12It's all based on one vision, to make our society, our whole world,
0:02:12 > 0:02:13work for everyone,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16not just the comfortable and well off.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18And it's a vision that sometimes seems to need
0:02:18 > 0:02:22Olympic levels of patient hard work and dedication.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Are we going to win this one?
0:02:25 > 0:02:26If you have the good fortune
0:02:26 > 0:02:30to live in a community where things seem to be working well,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32the chances are that if you slip backstage,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35you'll find an army of cheerful people making the wheels go round.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44And don't forget just what a huge percentage of them
0:02:44 > 0:02:46come from the churches and other faith groups.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49We serve the young people in this community
0:02:49 > 0:02:51because we want to see Jesus's name lifted high.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54It's just an opportunity for them to begin to explore
0:02:54 > 0:02:58what faith means in terms of living it out in our real world.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01So it's a kind of counterweight to some of the peer pressures
0:03:01 > 0:03:03- that they'll be experiencing. - Yeah, absolutely.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06And I would say that a lot of young people would bring their friends here
0:03:06 > 0:03:09because of the positive influence that they've had here.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13"How very good that people like that are there for us," we can say.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15But as soon as we've said that,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17we should be prompted to ask the tougher question -
0:03:17 > 0:03:18- "What can- I- do
0:03:18 > 0:03:23"to join this silent conspiracy of generous dedication?"
0:03:23 > 0:03:26There will be those who have time and skill and strength to offer.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28There will be those who have less of these,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30but can support in prayer and goodwill.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37And as we think about this silent groundswell,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41perhaps our minds can begin to open up to the deepest secret of all.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44The trust that the entire universe is held together
0:03:44 > 0:03:48by the quiet, unfailing generosity of God.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53What we see and grasp isn't the whole story.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57But just occasionally, we can get a glimpse.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00I hope there will be lots of joyful glimpses like that for you
0:04:00 > 0:04:02in the year ahead.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Every blessing and happiness for the coming year.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd