Covid-19 updates
During the period of lockdown some items have been shared by members and friends on the CWC Facebook page. These can now be viewed below.
20th Week of closure - 2 August
This week I had an experience that I’ve not been able to enjoy since lockdown started. I’ve had my hair cut! When I looked back it has been 21 weeks since I last paid a visit to the hairdresser. Many of you may have already had this pleasure and who would have thought that getting your hair cut would become such an anticipated treat.
I’ve always been blessed with a good head of hair: plenty of it and plenty thick enough. But one of the things I don’t enjoy about my hair is the way that it falls out, regularly. I don’t even have to brush or comb it or even touch it for strands to come loose and fall out. It’s always been a source of amusement to read the verses in the Bible from Matthew 10:30, “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” or in Luke 12:7, “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
I imagine all the angels in heaven who are tasked with counting the hairs on each individual’s head and one poor soul being assigned to me. They will just get a total for all the hairs on my head and then, oops, another one’s gone! A full time job for someone, I’m sure. But whether that’s literally how it works or whether when Jesus was talking to the disciples he was simply implying how much God cares for all his children, you can decide.
The disciples were being taught and trained, being prepared for continuing the work that Jesus started and he was warning them that it wasn’t always going to be easy. Despite the difficulties however they could be assured that God knows what is happening and he cares deeply about each person and their situation. These are words that can be a great comfort to us at any time and definitely in our present situation.
We may be trying our very best to remain faithful to God and finding new ways of doing so that we can continue Jesus’ work, but it isn’t necessarily going to be easy. In the times when it is difficult, when we struggle, when we may feel like giving up, then we need to remember that God knows and he cares and he is with us. When checking the Bible references above I came across this verse, which is another reminder of God’s care and presence with us and definitely relevant to me these days!
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4
I’ve always been blessed with a good head of hair: plenty of it and plenty thick enough. But one of the things I don’t enjoy about my hair is the way that it falls out, regularly. I don’t even have to brush or comb it or even touch it for strands to come loose and fall out. It’s always been a source of amusement to read the verses in the Bible from Matthew 10:30, “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” or in Luke 12:7, “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
I imagine all the angels in heaven who are tasked with counting the hairs on each individual’s head and one poor soul being assigned to me. They will just get a total for all the hairs on my head and then, oops, another one’s gone! A full time job for someone, I’m sure. But whether that’s literally how it works or whether when Jesus was talking to the disciples he was simply implying how much God cares for all his children, you can decide.
The disciples were being taught and trained, being prepared for continuing the work that Jesus started and he was warning them that it wasn’t always going to be easy. Despite the difficulties however they could be assured that God knows what is happening and he cares deeply about each person and their situation. These are words that can be a great comfort to us at any time and definitely in our present situation.
We may be trying our very best to remain faithful to God and finding new ways of doing so that we can continue Jesus’ work, but it isn’t necessarily going to be easy. In the times when it is difficult, when we struggle, when we may feel like giving up, then we need to remember that God knows and he cares and he is with us. When checking the Bible references above I came across this verse, which is another reminder of God’s care and presence with us and definitely relevant to me these days!
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4
19th Week of closure - 26th July
- This week I’ve been thinking about strawberries. That’s because I have a pot on my back doorstep which has strawberry plants in and some lovely red strawberries have begun to appear. Nothing unusual with that you might be thinking and it’s true, many of you may have plants, strawberries or otherwise, growing in your garden or allotment at the moment.
What I’ve been thinking about these strawberries is, that it is amazing that they are growing at all. The pot with the plant was given to me many years ago as a thank you gift and it has lived on the doorstep ever since. I don’t know anything about growing strawberries and I’ve never researched the subject but each year, some better than others, it has produced fruit. The plant is thriving and producing fruit even though to all intents and purposes it is neglected. The only thing I ever do to care for it is to pull off any dead bits, and give it some water if we have a particularly dry spell. Apart from that this strawberry plant does all the work on its own.
Isn’t it amazing what God has done in creation? All this plant has is the soil it’s sitting in, water mostly from the rain and some light/ heat from the sun. Everything else that is needed to survive and grow and produce the fruit is contained within the plant itself, put there by God to enable others in his creation to enjoy the food. And the same can be said of all things that God has made. God himself said that what he created was good and everything he made is able to live out the life and season that God has given it.
This includes the human race and I marvel at the way that people have met the challenges of the Covid-19 situation and have responded to the nationwide lockdown and ensuing restrictions. No, it’s not been easy, some have struggled more than others and there have been umpteen challenges to face and more to come in future weeks and months. But by and large, we are all still living and breathing and going about our daily lives even if in different circumstances. God made us in his image, as people able to adapt and develop and grow, to change and move forward, to survive and even thrive. God is good!
So as we face the days ahead be encouraged that God made us, he created us in such a way that we can keep going, we can even bear fruit, despite times when we might feel neglected or when circumstances are trying. We have God’s power within as the well-loved hymn by Stuart Hine reminds us:
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
consider all the works thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed;
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee,
how great thou art, how great thou art!
18th Week of closure - 19th July
After much debate a date has finally been announced for later this week when the wearing of facemasks while in any shops becomes mandatory. Of course the wearing of face masks has been happening anyway in other places such as hospitals and on public transport, and many people have chosen to wear masks whenever out and about. It has been a hot topic and much debated amongst so many experts in various fields. Is it better to wear a mask than not? Should a mask be worn all the time whilst out of your home? Is it only necessary in more confined spaces where it is not easy to distance? The thinking certainly seems to have turned now with a greater understanding, and the view that with masks being worn there is less chance of the virus being spread.
Many of us probably wear a mask much of the time already. Not one that is held on by straps or even visible to others. Bur many of us may have worn a mask for years or at certain times in our lives when we have not wanted to share something about ourselves, whether because it is too painful or we feel too ashamed. Certainly there is always the possibility that we don’t want others to see our real selves. Maybe we feel others will not understand, or we think others don’t need to know or maybe we just don’t feel good enough for others to see the real ‘me’ that’s inside, so instead we have this barrier, a mask that we wear to keep others at a distance.
In the Bible there are lots of reference to hiding and being hidden. So often the people in the stories are wanting to hide from God because they know that what they have done is not pleasing to him. And there are also occasions when God has hidden himself from the people or the people feel that God has hidden himself from them. But what we also learn in the Bible is that God is always there, always involved and nothing that happens is ever hidden from Him. Even if we think we have done our best to avoid others from finding out about what we prefer to keep hidden, God still knows.
Maybe as we begin to wear physical masks more often it might help us to recognise more easily the times when we are wearing an invisible mask. We know we have to wear a physical mask to prevent the spread of the virus, but do we really need to keep putting on the invisible mask? Maybe life would be better and easier in many cases if we didn’t hide ourselves away from others, if we could recognise that underneath our masks we are all made in God’s image and deserving of His love and compassion. The way that we can receive God’s love and compassion is through the actions of others that we meet on our daily journey, but they will be unable to see the real person, the real need, if we keep ourselves hidden away behind our masks.
The song by Bernadette Farrell based on Psalm 139 reminds us that though we can try to hid behind a mask with people, we can never hide from God:
O God, you search me and you know me.
All my thoughts lie open to your gaze.
When I walk or lie down, you are before me:
Ever the maker and keeper of my days.
Many of us probably wear a mask much of the time already. Not one that is held on by straps or even visible to others. Bur many of us may have worn a mask for years or at certain times in our lives when we have not wanted to share something about ourselves, whether because it is too painful or we feel too ashamed. Certainly there is always the possibility that we don’t want others to see our real selves. Maybe we feel others will not understand, or we think others don’t need to know or maybe we just don’t feel good enough for others to see the real ‘me’ that’s inside, so instead we have this barrier, a mask that we wear to keep others at a distance.
In the Bible there are lots of reference to hiding and being hidden. So often the people in the stories are wanting to hide from God because they know that what they have done is not pleasing to him. And there are also occasions when God has hidden himself from the people or the people feel that God has hidden himself from them. But what we also learn in the Bible is that God is always there, always involved and nothing that happens is ever hidden from Him. Even if we think we have done our best to avoid others from finding out about what we prefer to keep hidden, God still knows.
Maybe as we begin to wear physical masks more often it might help us to recognise more easily the times when we are wearing an invisible mask. We know we have to wear a physical mask to prevent the spread of the virus, but do we really need to keep putting on the invisible mask? Maybe life would be better and easier in many cases if we didn’t hide ourselves away from others, if we could recognise that underneath our masks we are all made in God’s image and deserving of His love and compassion. The way that we can receive God’s love and compassion is through the actions of others that we meet on our daily journey, but they will be unable to see the real person, the real need, if we keep ourselves hidden away behind our masks.
The song by Bernadette Farrell based on Psalm 139 reminds us that though we can try to hid behind a mask with people, we can never hide from God:
O God, you search me and you know me.
All my thoughts lie open to your gaze.
When I walk or lie down, you are before me:
Ever the maker and keeper of my days.
17th Week of closure - 12th July
Since the start of lockdown until quite recently we have had the daily briefings about Covid-19. Time when the leaders of the country passed on information, gave guidance and instructions and kept the country alert to what was happening. One of the figures that was highlighted each day and is still available to find every day is the number of deaths that have occurred due to the person testing positive for corona virus. Sadly these numbers have been high and even though falling there are still those who are succumbing to the effects of this virus. Alongside this as many will be all too aware there have been deaths from other causes.
If you stopped to consider only this aspect of the past few months then it would seem that we are in a very sad state indeed. If all we had to focus on was the number of people who had suffered and died then there would not be much space for hope. Thankfully though, even if the number of deaths have taken the headlines, there has continued to be many births. New lives coming into a strange period of time in the world, which will be forever recorded in history.
We are so thankful that there has been a new life in our family. A few days ago we welcomed the arrival of the first member of the next generation of the Brunskill family. A beautiful baby girl born during one of the most difficult times in this generation’s experience. A sign of hope, a re-assurance that life goes on and even though circumstances change there is always something more to come.
Of course as Christians we know that there is an opportunity to start again, to experience new life, when we recognise that the way that we have been living is wrong and against God’s intention for his world. At that point anyone is able to turn to Jesus, receive forgiveness and begin living according to God’s purpose and find true fulfilment, even in the midst of a world-wide pandemic. Maybe that’s what people need to hear at the moment. That it isn’t necessary to wait until this is all over and then return to the old way of living, but in fact there is a wonderful opportunity to start a new life, which can begin even now in the midst of all the uncertainty, fear and worry.
We must be willing to share our story so that others can know that new life can be found even now, as this chorus from the hymn by John W Peterson reminds us:
New Life in Christ! Abundant and free!
What glories shine, what joys are mine,
What wondrous blessings I see!
My past with its sin,
The searching and strife,
Forever gone, there's a bright new dawn!
For in Christ I have found New Life!
If you stopped to consider only this aspect of the past few months then it would seem that we are in a very sad state indeed. If all we had to focus on was the number of people who had suffered and died then there would not be much space for hope. Thankfully though, even if the number of deaths have taken the headlines, there has continued to be many births. New lives coming into a strange period of time in the world, which will be forever recorded in history.
We are so thankful that there has been a new life in our family. A few days ago we welcomed the arrival of the first member of the next generation of the Brunskill family. A beautiful baby girl born during one of the most difficult times in this generation’s experience. A sign of hope, a re-assurance that life goes on and even though circumstances change there is always something more to come.
Of course as Christians we know that there is an opportunity to start again, to experience new life, when we recognise that the way that we have been living is wrong and against God’s intention for his world. At that point anyone is able to turn to Jesus, receive forgiveness and begin living according to God’s purpose and find true fulfilment, even in the midst of a world-wide pandemic. Maybe that’s what people need to hear at the moment. That it isn’t necessary to wait until this is all over and then return to the old way of living, but in fact there is a wonderful opportunity to start a new life, which can begin even now in the midst of all the uncertainty, fear and worry.
We must be willing to share our story so that others can know that new life can be found even now, as this chorus from the hymn by John W Peterson reminds us:
New Life in Christ! Abundant and free!
What glories shine, what joys are mine,
What wondrous blessings I see!
My past with its sin,
The searching and strife,
Forever gone, there's a bright new dawn!
For in Christ I have found New Life!
16th Week of closure - 5th July
We’ve just become a household where everyone is back at work again. Some of us have been able to continue to work from home throughout the lock down period. That in itself has brought its own challenges as well as benefits and has been a period of learning and settling in to a new routine. For those who have been on furlough they too have had to adapt and change and have also faced challenges and a different lifestyle. Thankfully, though now, once again everyone is back at work and pleased to be so.
You will have your own experience of work, whether you have been working from home, on furlough or indeed have not been working for some time. But throughout this period of lock down we have seen a number of working roles brought to the fore: the NHS in its many guises, supermarket workers, teachers, farmers, distributers, suppliers of many essential commodities, local services. It has brought to mind the necessity for some of these roles and the workers that previously we might have taken for granted.
And while we have been very grateful for all those who have continued to work, in much more difficult circumstances than usual, we have to remember those who would have like to have been working. There are many who would have preferred to be working and contributing to society that being furloughed or sadly being made redundant or if self-employed seeing their work dry up. Now that restrictions are easing many more people are returning to work, again in very different circumstances than before. Though some of these roles might not have been deemed essential during lockdown, they are vital for our economy to be able to recover and support the country being able to continue to function and provide all that is needed for society to prosper.
Will we now see each other in a better light as we have learnt to appreciate different people’s jobs and roles within our communities? Each job, each person has their part to play and we should value all the contributions that are made to ensure that we can enjoy the benefits of living in a First World County.
When Paul wrote to the church in Rome in Chapter 12:3-8 he reminded the Christians that no-one should think of themselves more highly than anyone else as all people have different gifts and abilities. Each person has their part to play in the life of the church. As Christians we should be practising this kind of attitude, not only amongst our fellow brothers and sisters, but also setting an example in our own locality. We must be ready to offer a word of thanks, extend some form of encouragement, share an attitude of gratitude as we are thankful that the most intense period of lock down is hopefully behind us and that better days are coming. Let’s show our appreciation to all those that help and support us whatever job or role they might be doing. A prayer for the workday by Bishop Charles Lewis Slattery (1867-1930)
Almighty God, thank you for the job of this day.
May we find gladness in all its toil and difficulty,
its pleasure and success, and even in its failure and sorrow.
We would look always away from ourselves,
and behold the glory and the need of the world
that we may have the will and the strength to bring
the gift of gladness to others;
that with them we stand to bear
the burden and the heat of the day
and offer you the praise of work well done. Amen
You will have your own experience of work, whether you have been working from home, on furlough or indeed have not been working for some time. But throughout this period of lock down we have seen a number of working roles brought to the fore: the NHS in its many guises, supermarket workers, teachers, farmers, distributers, suppliers of many essential commodities, local services. It has brought to mind the necessity for some of these roles and the workers that previously we might have taken for granted.
And while we have been very grateful for all those who have continued to work, in much more difficult circumstances than usual, we have to remember those who would have like to have been working. There are many who would have preferred to be working and contributing to society that being furloughed or sadly being made redundant or if self-employed seeing their work dry up. Now that restrictions are easing many more people are returning to work, again in very different circumstances than before. Though some of these roles might not have been deemed essential during lockdown, they are vital for our economy to be able to recover and support the country being able to continue to function and provide all that is needed for society to prosper.
Will we now see each other in a better light as we have learnt to appreciate different people’s jobs and roles within our communities? Each job, each person has their part to play and we should value all the contributions that are made to ensure that we can enjoy the benefits of living in a First World County.
When Paul wrote to the church in Rome in Chapter 12:3-8 he reminded the Christians that no-one should think of themselves more highly than anyone else as all people have different gifts and abilities. Each person has their part to play in the life of the church. As Christians we should be practising this kind of attitude, not only amongst our fellow brothers and sisters, but also setting an example in our own locality. We must be ready to offer a word of thanks, extend some form of encouragement, share an attitude of gratitude as we are thankful that the most intense period of lock down is hopefully behind us and that better days are coming. Let’s show our appreciation to all those that help and support us whatever job or role they might be doing. A prayer for the workday by Bishop Charles Lewis Slattery (1867-1930)
Almighty God, thank you for the job of this day.
May we find gladness in all its toil and difficulty,
its pleasure and success, and even in its failure and sorrow.
We would look always away from ourselves,
and behold the glory and the need of the world
that we may have the will and the strength to bring
the gift of gladness to others;
that with them we stand to bear
the burden and the heat of the day
and offer you the praise of work well done. Amen
15th Week of closure - 28th June
“If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!” This is a saying attributed to President Truman when making war plans back in the 1940s. It’s certainly been hot in our kitchen this week, but it’s been hot everywhere. We Brits like to talk about the weather and this week we’ve had something to talk about. It’s been hot! Too hot on occasions to sit outside and enjoy the weather unless you have a shady patch somewhere. Too hot to be in the house, because the heat has permeated into our buildings which are built to retain the heat and keep us warm in the winter.
When we have cold or wet weather we long for the sun to appear and bring some warmth, and now when we have the sun at its zenith we long for a breeze and a thunder shower to break up the heat. We are never satisfied; but that to me is one of the joys of living in a climate like we have. The weather is changeable and you rarely get the same type of weather for any long period of time.
The author of the book of Revelation when writing to the church in Laodicea says in verses 15 and 16, “15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” This image here is of water which is neither cool enough to drink and be refreshing, nor hot enough to wash and bring cleansing. Lukewarm in this situation is about being pretty useless.
As churches are being allowed to re-open, initially for private prayer and then for worship and all with the appropriate measures in place we have to consider what we will do in our own location. Many of us may feel that the restrictions that will still be in place are just too great at the moment to make opening the church doors for worship again feasible. Others may want to do whatever it takes to ensure that churches are back in use. Whichever way you think personally there is a bigger picture than just what we ourselves might want.
During this time of lockdown more people than would normally do have been attending worship, albeit on-line, many people have been looking and searching for meaning and purpose during this period. For lots of reasons it is probable that when churches do re-open things will have to be done differently than before. Let’s not be like the Christians at Laodicea, lukewarm and useless, but let’s get into the heat, even if it is uncomfortable at times, and plan and prepare for a new vision of church post lockdown. What should God’s Church look like in the days ahead?
Take some time to think about these words in the song by Tim Hughes:
There must be more than this, O breath of God, come breath within.
There must be more than this, Spirit of God we wait for You.
Fill us anew we pray, Fill us anew we pray.
Consuming fire fan into flame a passion for Your name.
Spirit of God fall in this place, Lord have Your way, Lord have Your way with us.
When we have cold or wet weather we long for the sun to appear and bring some warmth, and now when we have the sun at its zenith we long for a breeze and a thunder shower to break up the heat. We are never satisfied; but that to me is one of the joys of living in a climate like we have. The weather is changeable and you rarely get the same type of weather for any long period of time.
The author of the book of Revelation when writing to the church in Laodicea says in verses 15 and 16, “15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” This image here is of water which is neither cool enough to drink and be refreshing, nor hot enough to wash and bring cleansing. Lukewarm in this situation is about being pretty useless.
As churches are being allowed to re-open, initially for private prayer and then for worship and all with the appropriate measures in place we have to consider what we will do in our own location. Many of us may feel that the restrictions that will still be in place are just too great at the moment to make opening the church doors for worship again feasible. Others may want to do whatever it takes to ensure that churches are back in use. Whichever way you think personally there is a bigger picture than just what we ourselves might want.
During this time of lockdown more people than would normally do have been attending worship, albeit on-line, many people have been looking and searching for meaning and purpose during this period. For lots of reasons it is probable that when churches do re-open things will have to be done differently than before. Let’s not be like the Christians at Laodicea, lukewarm and useless, but let’s get into the heat, even if it is uncomfortable at times, and plan and prepare for a new vision of church post lockdown. What should God’s Church look like in the days ahead?
Take some time to think about these words in the song by Tim Hughes:
There must be more than this, O breath of God, come breath within.
There must be more than this, Spirit of God we wait for You.
Fill us anew we pray, Fill us anew we pray.
Consuming fire fan into flame a passion for Your name.
Spirit of God fall in this place, Lord have Your way, Lord have Your way with us.
14th Week of closure - 21st June
Many of you will know that our family has made very good use of our excellent NHS service in recent months and after various ops and treatments, particularly in recent days, it set me to thinking about healing.
The knowledge and ability that we have through the work of scientists and doctors and nurses is a testament to their dedication and skills in learning and understanding the human body. This is built of course upon years and years of practice and experimenting and trial and error, I’m sure. But even with all the resources at the disposal of our NHS system this is still only a limited human aspect to healing.
The way that our bodies are made is just amazing, mind blowing in fact. To think that everything is set up to work and fit together as it does is fantastic, but even when things go wrong there are ways that the body works to heal and restore itself. The design is beyond our human understanding, though great strides are being made in many areas, and we have to give our thanks to God that he knew what he was doing. We acknowledge though that sometimes the problems or damage to someone’s body is too much, and despite the body’s own positive response and the expertise of the medical profession a life cannot be saved. That can be very hard to accept and causes great sadness and feelings of loss.
But there are also times when healing is needed aside from in the physical body. Sometimes healing is necessary for the mind, or soul. Where there has been great anguish or distress it requires more than a physical healing of the body, a restoration of thoughts and emotions is also required. This is something that I think we will see more and more as we come out of lockdown and everyone has to adjust to a life that has changed beyond what we could have imagined. And we also have to deal with all that has gone on during the weeks of lockdown and isolation.
People will probably look for solace and comfort in many different places, but as Christians our first thought should be to turn to God to ask for his comfort, for his peace, for his reconciliation and healing to come into our hearts and lives. As individuals we can do that and expect that God will work in and through us to restore us and enable us to remain close to him. As part of that healing process I am sure that God would expect us to look beyond our own needs and see the needs of those around us. Others who are looking for answers, others who want to make sense of what has happened, others who are hoping for better days ahead. If they don’t know God then we have to be the family member, friend, neighbour or colleague who comes alongside to help them through this time of healing.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every country in the world so the need for healing is great. As Christians we know the greatest power to heal comes not from anything the world provides but from God himself who made the world and everyone in it. So as we pray for healing for ourselves at this time, let us make that prayer a little wider and include all those who need to find healing. The words of the hymn by Fed Kaan are helpful:
For the healing of the nations,
Lord, we pray with one accord,
For a just and equal sharing
Of the things that earth affords.
To a life of love in action
Help us rise and pledge our word.
The knowledge and ability that we have through the work of scientists and doctors and nurses is a testament to their dedication and skills in learning and understanding the human body. This is built of course upon years and years of practice and experimenting and trial and error, I’m sure. But even with all the resources at the disposal of our NHS system this is still only a limited human aspect to healing.
The way that our bodies are made is just amazing, mind blowing in fact. To think that everything is set up to work and fit together as it does is fantastic, but even when things go wrong there are ways that the body works to heal and restore itself. The design is beyond our human understanding, though great strides are being made in many areas, and we have to give our thanks to God that he knew what he was doing. We acknowledge though that sometimes the problems or damage to someone’s body is too much, and despite the body’s own positive response and the expertise of the medical profession a life cannot be saved. That can be very hard to accept and causes great sadness and feelings of loss.
But there are also times when healing is needed aside from in the physical body. Sometimes healing is necessary for the mind, or soul. Where there has been great anguish or distress it requires more than a physical healing of the body, a restoration of thoughts and emotions is also required. This is something that I think we will see more and more as we come out of lockdown and everyone has to adjust to a life that has changed beyond what we could have imagined. And we also have to deal with all that has gone on during the weeks of lockdown and isolation.
People will probably look for solace and comfort in many different places, but as Christians our first thought should be to turn to God to ask for his comfort, for his peace, for his reconciliation and healing to come into our hearts and lives. As individuals we can do that and expect that God will work in and through us to restore us and enable us to remain close to him. As part of that healing process I am sure that God would expect us to look beyond our own needs and see the needs of those around us. Others who are looking for answers, others who want to make sense of what has happened, others who are hoping for better days ahead. If they don’t know God then we have to be the family member, friend, neighbour or colleague who comes alongside to help them through this time of healing.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every country in the world so the need for healing is great. As Christians we know the greatest power to heal comes not from anything the world provides but from God himself who made the world and everyone in it. So as we pray for healing for ourselves at this time, let us make that prayer a little wider and include all those who need to find healing. The words of the hymn by Fed Kaan are helpful:
For the healing of the nations,
Lord, we pray with one accord,
For a just and equal sharing
Of the things that earth affords.
To a life of love in action
Help us rise and pledge our word.
13th Week of closure - 14th June
So after almost 12 weeks of lockdown, 12 weeks of remaining at home, of staying isolated and out of everyone’s way, the time has come. Over the past couple of weeks there has been some lifting of restrictions and as of tomorrow far more restrictions are lifted or at least eased somewhat. More people will be back at work, going out and about, potentially coming into contact with far more other people. If you’re someone who has been isolating, who hasn’t been farther than your doorstep, or maybe your garden gate, then it is going to be quite strange when it happens, to step out over the threshold and join society again.
I for one have loved being at home, have revelled in being forced to stay within my own four walls, restricting the need to watch the time and be going out for the next thing and then the next thing. I’m fortunate that many of the things I enjoy can be done at home, without the need for social contact and so I have spent the hours (when not working) reading books, stitching, playing the piano and I’ve even started knitting again. Over these past few weeks I’ve been very thankful that I have my home, a safe place to be and a place that I enjoy being in.
But as the new world begins to take shape and we have to return to some semblance of daily living which involves going out of the home and re-connecting with others, I’ve begun to think about safety. My home has been my place of safety over the past weeks. A place where I’ve been content to stay and accept this strange period as a gift of time, never to be repeated probably, when I’ve been able to slow down, take stock and recover. Although I love being at home, the place itself has not protected me from difficult times, from hardship, worry or stresses. Those things have always been able to permeate through the fabric of the building itself.
So in reality it’s not the four walls that make up my home which is actually my safe place. The safe place, the place where I feel most “at home”, protected and loved is in God’s presence. Having this time off from real life, being forced to stay at home and restrict activities outside has been a time of blessing. A chance to reconnect with what is important and know that God is with me; I am in his presence.
Having just done my first supermarket shop in 11 weeks I have to admit that I was scared to venture out and be in a place that isn’t my home. I was wary of coming into contact with so many different people, not knowing if any of them had the virus that might potentially be passed on to me. I survived though, and even with it feeling really strange I’m sure I’ll soon get back into the routine and it will become more comfortable again. For many of us venturing out into the world again and coming into contact with so many people again is going to be difficult, even though this is the very thing we have been missing.
For me the lesson learned is that the only safe place you can ever really be is in God’s presence. It’s not about a particular place, or the same four walls, however much you might like your home. Safety is about knowing God and knowing you are with him and he is with you. This song from Noel Richards reminds us of this:
To be in your presence, to sit at your feet
where your love surrounds me and makes me complete.
To rest in your presence, not rushing away,
to cherish each moment, here I would stay.
This is my desire, O Lord, this is my desire.
This is my desire, O Lord, this is my desire.
I for one have loved being at home, have revelled in being forced to stay within my own four walls, restricting the need to watch the time and be going out for the next thing and then the next thing. I’m fortunate that many of the things I enjoy can be done at home, without the need for social contact and so I have spent the hours (when not working) reading books, stitching, playing the piano and I’ve even started knitting again. Over these past few weeks I’ve been very thankful that I have my home, a safe place to be and a place that I enjoy being in.
But as the new world begins to take shape and we have to return to some semblance of daily living which involves going out of the home and re-connecting with others, I’ve begun to think about safety. My home has been my place of safety over the past weeks. A place where I’ve been content to stay and accept this strange period as a gift of time, never to be repeated probably, when I’ve been able to slow down, take stock and recover. Although I love being at home, the place itself has not protected me from difficult times, from hardship, worry or stresses. Those things have always been able to permeate through the fabric of the building itself.
So in reality it’s not the four walls that make up my home which is actually my safe place. The safe place, the place where I feel most “at home”, protected and loved is in God’s presence. Having this time off from real life, being forced to stay at home and restrict activities outside has been a time of blessing. A chance to reconnect with what is important and know that God is with me; I am in his presence.
Having just done my first supermarket shop in 11 weeks I have to admit that I was scared to venture out and be in a place that isn’t my home. I was wary of coming into contact with so many different people, not knowing if any of them had the virus that might potentially be passed on to me. I survived though, and even with it feeling really strange I’m sure I’ll soon get back into the routine and it will become more comfortable again. For many of us venturing out into the world again and coming into contact with so many people again is going to be difficult, even though this is the very thing we have been missing.
For me the lesson learned is that the only safe place you can ever really be is in God’s presence. It’s not about a particular place, or the same four walls, however much you might like your home. Safety is about knowing God and knowing you are with him and he is with you. This song from Noel Richards reminds us of this:
To be in your presence, to sit at your feet
where your love surrounds me and makes me complete.
To rest in your presence, not rushing away,
to cherish each moment, here I would stay.
This is my desire, O Lord, this is my desire.
This is my desire, O Lord, this is my desire.
12th Week of closure - 7th June
I don’t know about you but I’ve been trying to enjoy the lovely period of weather we’ve been having since lockdown started. Someone said to me recently that the good weather is God’s blessing to us during this difficult time and I think I would agree with them. Since being at home all the time I have tried to get out into the garden as much as possible. Some days I will sit outside while I have my lunch; a well-earned break from being sat in front of a computer for much of the day. Also for a number of days we moved outside to eat our evening meal sitting round the garden table. And if all else fails there’s always a weed or two that needs pulling out or tubs that need watering so plenty of excuses to be outdoors.
Something I’ve noticed and others have commented on, is the number of birds that can be both heard and seen around at the moment. I’m not a great fan of anything with feathers, but as long as they stay far enough away from me I can cope! I have seen a lot of birds flying around including sparrows, thrushes, blue tits, pigeons and sea gulls. What I’ve become aware of in recent weeks is that they have been flying together in pairs. You will see one bird flying across the garden, closely followed by its mate. At first I didn’t appreciate what I was seeing but the more times I saw it, then I realised we are into breeding and nesting season. We actually have a pair of birds that have made a nest in the house wall and you can spot them using the outside light as a landing base for going in and out of the nest.
Knowing that today is Trinity Sunday it was seeing two birds together that got me thinking about our understanding of Trinity. You may wonder how my mind works and how 2 became 3! Well thinking about the two birds together moved me on to thinking about our wedding. Almost 34 years ago we were very privileged to have Fraser’s late Uncle, Rev Joseph Dickinson marry us. Usually we think of a marriage as the joining together of two people, but Uncle Joseph spoke about the need to have 3 people in our new relationship. For the marriage to have a solid foundation, be fulfilling and long lasting he confirmed that God had to be part of all that we did together. The commitment we were making wasn’t just between the two of us but between three of us and that would make all the difference to what lay ahead. With there being three of us working together in the relationship we would find all the strength, support and encouragement we would need for the marriage to survive and even thrive.
The idea of Trinity was first fashioned many centuries ago to try and explain the nature of God and how he has revealed himself to us. Many of us might struggle to understand the concept of God being Trinity, of knowing and accepting that God is multifaceted. We have this explanation of God as Trinity, God in three persons, which in no way is meant to limit who God is or what he can do, though it is a picture that we can work with. Today on Trinity Sunday many ministers and preachers will once again have been trying to explain what this means and how it is helpful for Christians to consider God in this way. So maybe my picture of a marriage as a relationship of three is helpful, or maybe not. Either way I hope that we will take some time to consider this important aspect of our Christian belief and strive to know God more fully through our knowledge of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
If you want to puzzle it out a little bit more see below one of the explanations given on the “From EveryStudent.com” website in answer to the question – Can you explain the Trinity?
If we were to use maths, it would not be, 1+1+1=3. It would be 1x1x1=1. God is a triune God.
Something I’ve noticed and others have commented on, is the number of birds that can be both heard and seen around at the moment. I’m not a great fan of anything with feathers, but as long as they stay far enough away from me I can cope! I have seen a lot of birds flying around including sparrows, thrushes, blue tits, pigeons and sea gulls. What I’ve become aware of in recent weeks is that they have been flying together in pairs. You will see one bird flying across the garden, closely followed by its mate. At first I didn’t appreciate what I was seeing but the more times I saw it, then I realised we are into breeding and nesting season. We actually have a pair of birds that have made a nest in the house wall and you can spot them using the outside light as a landing base for going in and out of the nest.
Knowing that today is Trinity Sunday it was seeing two birds together that got me thinking about our understanding of Trinity. You may wonder how my mind works and how 2 became 3! Well thinking about the two birds together moved me on to thinking about our wedding. Almost 34 years ago we were very privileged to have Fraser’s late Uncle, Rev Joseph Dickinson marry us. Usually we think of a marriage as the joining together of two people, but Uncle Joseph spoke about the need to have 3 people in our new relationship. For the marriage to have a solid foundation, be fulfilling and long lasting he confirmed that God had to be part of all that we did together. The commitment we were making wasn’t just between the two of us but between three of us and that would make all the difference to what lay ahead. With there being three of us working together in the relationship we would find all the strength, support and encouragement we would need for the marriage to survive and even thrive.
The idea of Trinity was first fashioned many centuries ago to try and explain the nature of God and how he has revealed himself to us. Many of us might struggle to understand the concept of God being Trinity, of knowing and accepting that God is multifaceted. We have this explanation of God as Trinity, God in three persons, which in no way is meant to limit who God is or what he can do, though it is a picture that we can work with. Today on Trinity Sunday many ministers and preachers will once again have been trying to explain what this means and how it is helpful for Christians to consider God in this way. So maybe my picture of a marriage as a relationship of three is helpful, or maybe not. Either way I hope that we will take some time to consider this important aspect of our Christian belief and strive to know God more fully through our knowledge of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
If you want to puzzle it out a little bit more see below one of the explanations given on the “From EveryStudent.com” website in answer to the question – Can you explain the Trinity?
If we were to use maths, it would not be, 1+1+1=3. It would be 1x1x1=1. God is a triune God.
11th Week of closure - 31st May
When was the last time you had a visitor in your house? I can’t remember the last person to visit us that actually came inside the house. We’ve had one or two people call, usually to drop something off, but they’ve stood at the top of the drive while we’ve remained at the house door. Our conversation has been carried out over the distance between us and there has been no offer of “Come in, sit down, I’ll put the kettle on.” With lockdown now being in place for 9 weeks it’s at least that long since we welcomed anyone into our home.
This Sunday we are celebrating Pentecost. That life-changing time for the first disciples. When Jesus had physically left them and returned to heaven he promised that he would send a helper. They needed to wait in Jerusalem for the power that God would give them. On the day of Pentecost the disciples were gathered in a house in Jerusalem when a wind came from heaven and filled the house and what appeared to be tongues of flame rested upon them, and then they were all able to speak in various languages. The Holy Spirit had come into the house and had touched each life so that the disciples would never feel alone again.
Reading the account from Acts 2 you can see how the disciples were empowered by the Holy Spirit that had not only entered into the walls of the house but had actually filled each individual person with God’s power. The disciples were getting used to not having Jesus physically with them anymore and now they need never look for him as a separate person again. All that they needed to see, hear and know of Jesus was present with them by the power of the Holy Spirit. By having this power within they found themselves able to say and do far more than they ever thought they were capable of.
God’s power is still active and working in the world today and still filling individual lives with the knowledge and love of Jesus. We may not be able to invite people into our homes at the moment to share companionship, to give and receive encouragement, comfort or support. But we can know those things ourselves when we acknowledge that God’s Spirit is with us and the wisdom and guidance that we need comes from Him.
The first disciples couldn’t have foreseen the lives that they would live after the Spirit came at Pentecost; where they would go, the people they would meet, the changes that would take place. In reality they didn’t need to know because they were trusting God and allowing His Spirit to work in and through them. The same must be true for each of us today as we contemplate what the future might look like as lockdown restrictions are lifted and the world we knew has become a different place. We cannot predict where we might go, who we might meet and what changes are awaiting us in the days ahead. But one thing we can be certain of is that God is with us, His Spirit lives and works in our lives to move us forward, to give us what we need to live each day and to face the future with the hope of eternity stretched out before us.
A prayer of Pentecost Sunday by Tim Baker & Wayne Grewcock from The Vine at Home
We bring our ordinary selves, just as we are, inviting you to do something extraordinary in and through us, gracious God. We have listened, we have noticed, we have paid attention to your calling. We need your love, we need your grace, we need your Holy Spirit. Help us to understand that through you we are forgiven, that through you our hearts are stirred, that through you our ordinary becomes your extraordinary.
So gracious God, we bring the whole world before you, this Pentecost Sunday. We bring all the concerns and doubts we carry, and lay them at your feet. We bring all the fears of our world – a world still uncertain about how we will emerge from this pandemic. A world where there is still much injustice and suffering. A world in need of you, of your love. Come amongst us. Come Gracious God. Come Jesus Christ. Come Holy Spirit. Amen.
This Sunday we are celebrating Pentecost. That life-changing time for the first disciples. When Jesus had physically left them and returned to heaven he promised that he would send a helper. They needed to wait in Jerusalem for the power that God would give them. On the day of Pentecost the disciples were gathered in a house in Jerusalem when a wind came from heaven and filled the house and what appeared to be tongues of flame rested upon them, and then they were all able to speak in various languages. The Holy Spirit had come into the house and had touched each life so that the disciples would never feel alone again.
Reading the account from Acts 2 you can see how the disciples were empowered by the Holy Spirit that had not only entered into the walls of the house but had actually filled each individual person with God’s power. The disciples were getting used to not having Jesus physically with them anymore and now they need never look for him as a separate person again. All that they needed to see, hear and know of Jesus was present with them by the power of the Holy Spirit. By having this power within they found themselves able to say and do far more than they ever thought they were capable of.
God’s power is still active and working in the world today and still filling individual lives with the knowledge and love of Jesus. We may not be able to invite people into our homes at the moment to share companionship, to give and receive encouragement, comfort or support. But we can know those things ourselves when we acknowledge that God’s Spirit is with us and the wisdom and guidance that we need comes from Him.
The first disciples couldn’t have foreseen the lives that they would live after the Spirit came at Pentecost; where they would go, the people they would meet, the changes that would take place. In reality they didn’t need to know because they were trusting God and allowing His Spirit to work in and through them. The same must be true for each of us today as we contemplate what the future might look like as lockdown restrictions are lifted and the world we knew has become a different place. We cannot predict where we might go, who we might meet and what changes are awaiting us in the days ahead. But one thing we can be certain of is that God is with us, His Spirit lives and works in our lives to move us forward, to give us what we need to live each day and to face the future with the hope of eternity stretched out before us.
A prayer of Pentecost Sunday by Tim Baker & Wayne Grewcock from The Vine at Home
We bring our ordinary selves, just as we are, inviting you to do something extraordinary in and through us, gracious God. We have listened, we have noticed, we have paid attention to your calling. We need your love, we need your grace, we need your Holy Spirit. Help us to understand that through you we are forgiven, that through you our hearts are stirred, that through you our ordinary becomes your extraordinary.
So gracious God, we bring the whole world before you, this Pentecost Sunday. We bring all the concerns and doubts we carry, and lay them at your feet. We bring all the fears of our world – a world still uncertain about how we will emerge from this pandemic. A world where there is still much injustice and suffering. A world in need of you, of your love. Come amongst us. Come Gracious God. Come Jesus Christ. Come Holy Spirit. Amen.
Andrew's anecdote - shared 30th May
Retreat
A place where you can hide away from danger, and where the enemy can't reach you. A comfort zone in which you can rest in silence. A shelter and retreat from all the chaos that has the whole world in turmoil. Somewhere that distances you from all the worries and doubts that plague your daily life. But where is that place?
It is wherever we find peace. In a room without distractions such as televisions, phones, and computers, in which we stay away from soul destroying news and spiteful comments on social media. Maybe a lone park, field, forest, hillside, or a garden (if you have access to one), where the only sound is birdsong or the scurrying of wildlife. It could be reading a piece of literature that contains encouraging words, or listening to some relaxing music.
Most important of all, it's where we meet with God. In which we can find him anytime and anywhere, just by telling him all our concerns in prayer, so that he will turn his ear to our call, and meet us in whatever situation we find ourselves in. It is then that we can hide in the shadow of his wings, for he is our refuge and fortress that nothing harmful can penetrate. Take comfort in the knowledge that you will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
A place where you can hide away from danger, and where the enemy can't reach you. A comfort zone in which you can rest in silence. A shelter and retreat from all the chaos that has the whole world in turmoil. Somewhere that distances you from all the worries and doubts that plague your daily life. But where is that place?
It is wherever we find peace. In a room without distractions such as televisions, phones, and computers, in which we stay away from soul destroying news and spiteful comments on social media. Maybe a lone park, field, forest, hillside, or a garden (if you have access to one), where the only sound is birdsong or the scurrying of wildlife. It could be reading a piece of literature that contains encouraging words, or listening to some relaxing music.
Most important of all, it's where we meet with God. In which we can find him anytime and anywhere, just by telling him all our concerns in prayer, so that he will turn his ear to our call, and meet us in whatever situation we find ourselves in. It is then that we can hide in the shadow of his wings, for he is our refuge and fortress that nothing harmful can penetrate. Take comfort in the knowledge that you will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
10th Week of closure - 24th May
“Beam me up Scotty!” Have you ever said that when you wanted to escape from a particular situation or wished that you could be transported elsewhere? During this current situation we might all have times when we think that it would be far better to be elsewhere, in fact anywhere but experiencing lockdown. But where would you go? Given that we are experiencing a world-wide pandemic is there anywhere else in the world it would be safe to go to at this moment, and how could we travel safely?
As another school half term has finished and a holiday week likes ahead, including another Bank Holiday, many people will have had plans to travel over the coming days. Maybe an exotic holiday, maybe a week out in the countryside or time visiting and catching up with friends. But none of this can become a reality at the moment and instead we have to make do with virtual visits or conversations.
The popular quote from the Star Wars TV and film series is apparently a misquote and was never actually spoken by Captain Kirk as he instructed his chief engineer to return him to the Starship Enterprise. Though this phrase has come into common usage it was never quite spoken like that by Captain Kirk, though he did ask his chief engineer to “beam” him back to his spaceship Enterprise, suggesting some kind of time travel and a return to his home territory.
This week Christians have celebrated Ascension Day when Jesus was somehow transported back to heaven. 40 days after rising from the dead on Easter Sunday Jesus returned to heaven to be with his father. At this point his work in the world had been completed and in his place would come the Holy Spirit. The disciples who had known and followed Jesus for 3 years or so had been left devastated when he was nailed to the cross and left to die. Then after 3 days they were all witnesses to him being alive again. Jesus had come back to life and come back to be with them. But after sharing the next 40 days with them he again left them, this time to return to his father, as had always been the plan, so that his disciples could continue the work that he had started.
After this the disciples were not only followers of Jesus but they became preachers, teachers and sharers of the good news that Jesus is alive. Many of those first disciples travelled to far flung places, not on holiday, but to share the gospel message, to establish the first churches and set the groundwork for all those who would come after.
So we too continue the work today of sharing the good news that God is love and Jesus is a wonderful saviour and friend. We might not be able to venture very far at the moment to share the message, but it is just as necessary for our family, friends and neighbours, all those that we might be socially distancing from, but are still in touch with. During this time of lockdown I hope we feel able to continue the work that Jesus left his disciples to do, after he returned to heaven to take his place at the right hand of God.
The chorus of the song “There is a Redeemer” by Keith Green reminds us that though Jesus Is no longer in the world we still have his presence with us:
Thank you O my Father
for giving us your Son
And leaving your Spirit
till the work on earth is done.
As another school half term has finished and a holiday week likes ahead, including another Bank Holiday, many people will have had plans to travel over the coming days. Maybe an exotic holiday, maybe a week out in the countryside or time visiting and catching up with friends. But none of this can become a reality at the moment and instead we have to make do with virtual visits or conversations.
The popular quote from the Star Wars TV and film series is apparently a misquote and was never actually spoken by Captain Kirk as he instructed his chief engineer to return him to the Starship Enterprise. Though this phrase has come into common usage it was never quite spoken like that by Captain Kirk, though he did ask his chief engineer to “beam” him back to his spaceship Enterprise, suggesting some kind of time travel and a return to his home territory.
This week Christians have celebrated Ascension Day when Jesus was somehow transported back to heaven. 40 days after rising from the dead on Easter Sunday Jesus returned to heaven to be with his father. At this point his work in the world had been completed and in his place would come the Holy Spirit. The disciples who had known and followed Jesus for 3 years or so had been left devastated when he was nailed to the cross and left to die. Then after 3 days they were all witnesses to him being alive again. Jesus had come back to life and come back to be with them. But after sharing the next 40 days with them he again left them, this time to return to his father, as had always been the plan, so that his disciples could continue the work that he had started.
After this the disciples were not only followers of Jesus but they became preachers, teachers and sharers of the good news that Jesus is alive. Many of those first disciples travelled to far flung places, not on holiday, but to share the gospel message, to establish the first churches and set the groundwork for all those who would come after.
So we too continue the work today of sharing the good news that God is love and Jesus is a wonderful saviour and friend. We might not be able to venture very far at the moment to share the message, but it is just as necessary for our family, friends and neighbours, all those that we might be socially distancing from, but are still in touch with. During this time of lockdown I hope we feel able to continue the work that Jesus left his disciples to do, after he returned to heaven to take his place at the right hand of God.
The chorus of the song “There is a Redeemer” by Keith Green reminds us that though Jesus Is no longer in the world we still have his presence with us:
Thank you O my Father
for giving us your Son
And leaving your Spirit
till the work on earth is done.
9th Week of closure - 17th May
It’s been just over 8 weeks now that I’ve been “at home” and in all that time I’ve never worn my watch. Normally I would have my watch on every day whether I was leaving the house or not. I’ve always worn a watch as I like to know what time of day it is and also to make sure that I can get to where I need to be on time. Nowadays many people rely on their phone, but I’m not quite at that stage yet.
My watch has sat on my dressing table since the Friday afternoon I came home from work, knowing that I wasn’t going back for a while as we needed to be shielding in our house. The watch is still on winter time so is an hour slow, and whenever I notice it I have to remind myself it’s not the right time. It’s also a reminder to me that time, at the moment, has a different meaning. I’m still following a daily routine as we’re all encouraged to do; have breakfast and get dressed and then a combination of work or household tasks fitted around regular meal times and a walk in the evening.
But in a broader sense time doesn’t feel the same. Days blur into one another with the only distinction being the weekend, when I’m not working. The days pass into weeks and the weeks into months, and we are now into the third month where lock down has been in place. Instead of looking ahead to when we might be going out to church or to visit someone or to an event or concert there’s nothing. Holidays which might have been a marker of time are cancelled or postponed long term and perhaps the only thing we can be sure of in these circumstances is that time is passing.
Ecclesiastes 3 has always been a favourite passage of mine. It can be helpful to consider the words when we are going through times such as these. For everything there is a season, and we are currently going through the season of Covid-19 which is probably lasting longer than we would like. But the writer reminds us there is a time for everything, some good, some bad and we have to go through each season whether we would choose to or not. Because at some point lockdown will end, or it will change to such an extent that it will be markedly different, and then we will have entered another season.
We cannot shorten or lengthen these seasons just by wishing for it to go more quickly or hoping (in better circumstances) that it will last longer. Rather we have to endure when necessary and enjoy whenever possible the season we are currently experiencing. I suppose a difference with the current season is that it is affecting all of us, and not just in this country, but everyone throughout the world. Some of us might find that helpful to think that this is something we share together and can support each other through.
So if like me you’re finding time a strange thing, then remember that what we are experiencing now is just a season, it will pass. And as always, timing works in God’s world as he plans and not as we would necessarily expect or wish it to be. Through this season of covid-19 God is still with us.
Ecclesiastes 3
1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
My watch has sat on my dressing table since the Friday afternoon I came home from work, knowing that I wasn’t going back for a while as we needed to be shielding in our house. The watch is still on winter time so is an hour slow, and whenever I notice it I have to remind myself it’s not the right time. It’s also a reminder to me that time, at the moment, has a different meaning. I’m still following a daily routine as we’re all encouraged to do; have breakfast and get dressed and then a combination of work or household tasks fitted around regular meal times and a walk in the evening.
But in a broader sense time doesn’t feel the same. Days blur into one another with the only distinction being the weekend, when I’m not working. The days pass into weeks and the weeks into months, and we are now into the third month where lock down has been in place. Instead of looking ahead to when we might be going out to church or to visit someone or to an event or concert there’s nothing. Holidays which might have been a marker of time are cancelled or postponed long term and perhaps the only thing we can be sure of in these circumstances is that time is passing.
Ecclesiastes 3 has always been a favourite passage of mine. It can be helpful to consider the words when we are going through times such as these. For everything there is a season, and we are currently going through the season of Covid-19 which is probably lasting longer than we would like. But the writer reminds us there is a time for everything, some good, some bad and we have to go through each season whether we would choose to or not. Because at some point lockdown will end, or it will change to such an extent that it will be markedly different, and then we will have entered another season.
We cannot shorten or lengthen these seasons just by wishing for it to go more quickly or hoping (in better circumstances) that it will last longer. Rather we have to endure when necessary and enjoy whenever possible the season we are currently experiencing. I suppose a difference with the current season is that it is affecting all of us, and not just in this country, but everyone throughout the world. Some of us might find that helpful to think that this is something we share together and can support each other through.
So if like me you’re finding time a strange thing, then remember that what we are experiencing now is just a season, it will pass. And as always, timing works in God’s world as he plans and not as we would necessarily expect or wish it to be. Through this season of covid-19 God is still with us.
Ecclesiastes 3
1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
A story shared by Andrew Winthrop on 11th May
I have written a story titled "Isolation", which obviously reflects what we are all going through at the moment (though since the Prime Ministers announcement last night, some easing of restrictions may help some of us to get out more). In the story, I share some personal moments of how the current situation has reflected in mine and Bev's lives, but there are parts of the story in which everyone will be able to associate with. The latter half of the story reflects on how Jesus coped in the wilderness, and how we can apply this to our own wilderness moments.
Isolation-
The night of 23rd March 2020 was a huge shock. The whole of the United Kingdom knew it was eventually going to happen, but when Boris Johnson announced on television that the majority of the country's citizens were going to have to self-isolate, the penny finally dropped. We were going to have to change in unimaginable ways. Suddenly Covid 19 was going to dominate the way we lived, as every single detail of how we had done things previously would alter dramatically.
Personally, the things that I had arranged immediately changed course. Work I had planned for the rest of the days and weeks ahead had to be postponed for an undetermined time, simply because nobody wanted to risk having work done in their homes. Holidays that had already been booked would have to be cancelled, as unnecessary travel was not allowed. The spending of money would have to be done more thrifty as my bank balance would begin to decrease because of lack of income. Visits to the shops would have to become infrequent to avoid as much contact with others as possible. Going outside for exercise being limited to one hour per day, which would involve dog walking.
New or rarely used words and phrases were becoming commonplace. Self-isolation, social-distancing, flattening the curve, and furlough, alongside Coronaviris and Covid 19 seemed to be used in society constantly.
Financially, a recession was looming. Possibly even a depression. Not just in our own country, but world wide. Businesses large and small, from major airlines to the humble café, were facing financial ruin. No job was secure, as even those who were able to work from home still were uncertain about how long their workload would last.
My first few weeks of being off were busy enough, with plenty to fill my time in with, such as completing odd jobs around the house that had been left for far too long. It was also a good chance to do some much needed spring cleaning. The board games came out of the cupboard, and after dusting them down, filled in a few hours of enjoyment. I had time to catch up on my reading, though my other hobby of listening to records was just as limited as ever, due to the fact that after doing all the above, I had ran out of time.
After a few weeks of being self-isolated, I started to become more worried, as funds were decreasing in my bank account at a rapid rate, so I was thankful to find out that I was still allowed to work, so long as social-distancing was observed, though work was less frequent than what I was used to. Still, it would keep our heads above water until the much needed government funding would be released.
There were times of trials, as friction between myself and my wife started to creep in, with us starting to get on each others nerves because of seeing each other so often. The future also had to be thought out, which included the making of wills, just in case the worse happened to any of us. So many things to think about. So many worries that concerned us. Was this all going to become too much, and was this our wilderness moment?
The only way to cope in wilderness moments is to look at, and learn from how Jesus coped. Having just been through His baptism, in which the Holy Spirit had descended on Him, His true identity now having been revealed, He went into retreat to prepare himself for the ministry ahead of Him. Is this a time of preparation for us, in which the recent past has brought forth God's plans for us? Where we need to be in a quiet place, to spend some quality time with God, before going out into the world to spread the Good News?
As we stock pile food, toiletries, medicines, and other supplies to last us a few days, or even weeks, Jesus fasted for forty days and nights, without any of the convenience products that we find so easy to come by. We may be tempted by Satan to rush out and overfill our shopping trolleys, leaving nothing left for the poor or care workers, but God will sustain us without going to those extreme measures, as if the birds of the air do not need to sow or reap or stow away in barns, neither do we need to store up in our cupboards and fridge/freezers. After all, we do not live on bread alone, but instead by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
When Satan asks us to take a huge risk, like he did when goading Jesus into throwing himself from the highest point of the temple, just remember that we should take nothing for granted. It may be a temptation to have suicidal thoughts if the current situation is making a person depressed, but never should we put the Lord to the test.
The final enticement that Satan set before Jesus was to offer Him all the earthly things as far as He could see, in turn for Jesus bowing down to him and worshipping him. Jesus' swift reply was to say to him "Away from me, Satan!" He continued by saying "Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only". Jesus knew that God the Father is the only one we should be bowing down to, and with this, Satan knew he was beaten, and so left him. Jesus must have been mentally, and possibly physically drained after His ordeal, as angels then came to attend to him. When the Devil tempts and taunts us, we feel at our lowest ebb, which could be in the form of feeling worthless and suffering from depression. We may just want to give in to Satan, but in those times, God will comfort us and tend to our needs, if only we let Him.
Whatever the situation we find ourselves in, whether we are in self-isolation, or are our providing vital work, God is always by our side, supporting us, and helping us get through the days and weeks that lie ahead of us. Take solace in know that the Lord will comfort His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.
Readings from Matthew 4:1-11, Matthew 6:26-27, and Isaiah 49:13.
Isolation-
The night of 23rd March 2020 was a huge shock. The whole of the United Kingdom knew it was eventually going to happen, but when Boris Johnson announced on television that the majority of the country's citizens were going to have to self-isolate, the penny finally dropped. We were going to have to change in unimaginable ways. Suddenly Covid 19 was going to dominate the way we lived, as every single detail of how we had done things previously would alter dramatically.
Personally, the things that I had arranged immediately changed course. Work I had planned for the rest of the days and weeks ahead had to be postponed for an undetermined time, simply because nobody wanted to risk having work done in their homes. Holidays that had already been booked would have to be cancelled, as unnecessary travel was not allowed. The spending of money would have to be done more thrifty as my bank balance would begin to decrease because of lack of income. Visits to the shops would have to become infrequent to avoid as much contact with others as possible. Going outside for exercise being limited to one hour per day, which would involve dog walking.
New or rarely used words and phrases were becoming commonplace. Self-isolation, social-distancing, flattening the curve, and furlough, alongside Coronaviris and Covid 19 seemed to be used in society constantly.
Financially, a recession was looming. Possibly even a depression. Not just in our own country, but world wide. Businesses large and small, from major airlines to the humble café, were facing financial ruin. No job was secure, as even those who were able to work from home still were uncertain about how long their workload would last.
My first few weeks of being off were busy enough, with plenty to fill my time in with, such as completing odd jobs around the house that had been left for far too long. It was also a good chance to do some much needed spring cleaning. The board games came out of the cupboard, and after dusting them down, filled in a few hours of enjoyment. I had time to catch up on my reading, though my other hobby of listening to records was just as limited as ever, due to the fact that after doing all the above, I had ran out of time.
After a few weeks of being self-isolated, I started to become more worried, as funds were decreasing in my bank account at a rapid rate, so I was thankful to find out that I was still allowed to work, so long as social-distancing was observed, though work was less frequent than what I was used to. Still, it would keep our heads above water until the much needed government funding would be released.
There were times of trials, as friction between myself and my wife started to creep in, with us starting to get on each others nerves because of seeing each other so often. The future also had to be thought out, which included the making of wills, just in case the worse happened to any of us. So many things to think about. So many worries that concerned us. Was this all going to become too much, and was this our wilderness moment?
The only way to cope in wilderness moments is to look at, and learn from how Jesus coped. Having just been through His baptism, in which the Holy Spirit had descended on Him, His true identity now having been revealed, He went into retreat to prepare himself for the ministry ahead of Him. Is this a time of preparation for us, in which the recent past has brought forth God's plans for us? Where we need to be in a quiet place, to spend some quality time with God, before going out into the world to spread the Good News?
As we stock pile food, toiletries, medicines, and other supplies to last us a few days, or even weeks, Jesus fasted for forty days and nights, without any of the convenience products that we find so easy to come by. We may be tempted by Satan to rush out and overfill our shopping trolleys, leaving nothing left for the poor or care workers, but God will sustain us without going to those extreme measures, as if the birds of the air do not need to sow or reap or stow away in barns, neither do we need to store up in our cupboards and fridge/freezers. After all, we do not live on bread alone, but instead by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
When Satan asks us to take a huge risk, like he did when goading Jesus into throwing himself from the highest point of the temple, just remember that we should take nothing for granted. It may be a temptation to have suicidal thoughts if the current situation is making a person depressed, but never should we put the Lord to the test.
The final enticement that Satan set before Jesus was to offer Him all the earthly things as far as He could see, in turn for Jesus bowing down to him and worshipping him. Jesus' swift reply was to say to him "Away from me, Satan!" He continued by saying "Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only". Jesus knew that God the Father is the only one we should be bowing down to, and with this, Satan knew he was beaten, and so left him. Jesus must have been mentally, and possibly physically drained after His ordeal, as angels then came to attend to him. When the Devil tempts and taunts us, we feel at our lowest ebb, which could be in the form of feeling worthless and suffering from depression. We may just want to give in to Satan, but in those times, God will comfort us and tend to our needs, if only we let Him.
Whatever the situation we find ourselves in, whether we are in self-isolation, or are our providing vital work, God is always by our side, supporting us, and helping us get through the days and weeks that lie ahead of us. Take solace in know that the Lord will comfort His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.
Readings from Matthew 4:1-11, Matthew 6:26-27, and Isaiah 49:13.
8th Week of closure - 10th May
Seven weeks into lockdown and maybe things will be different tomorrow. Or maybe not much different for most of us. During this time of lockdown so many events and activities that had been planned have had to be postponed or cancelled altogether. The change in Bank Holiday from Monday to Friday 8th May to enable a national remembrance and celebrations for VE day managed to survive. Although people were unable to join together many activities and celebrations took place, with bunting appearing on houses, scarecrows and other reminders of bygone times being set up in gardens and socially distanced tea parties. Even during this difficult time in the world we Brits wanted to remember and celebrate the end of WW2 in Europe some 75 years after the event.
Though we are still in the midst of the pandemic now, it makes me wonder what the celebrations will be like when finally everyone is released from lockdown and our society or “normal” life can begin again without the same fear or restrictions. And will this period of time still be remembered and the lifting of restrictions be celebrated in 75 years’ time? Who knows, but there’s nothing to stop anyone of us from having our own mini celebrations as the days go by. There is still so much to celebrate, apart from our own personal milestones such as birthdays or anniversaries, we can celebrate all the good things that are still happening and have been put in place to help us at this time.
Think about the way in which hospitals and the staff and working practices have been adapted and changed to accommodate the impact of the virus. Think about the measures put in place to offer support to those who have had to work from home or cannot work at the moment. Think about those involved in the supply chain who make sure that the food and other essentials that we need are still available. Think about the many ways that we can all stay in touch through technology or via TV and radio. Think about the many gestures of goodwill made by neighbours and strangers that have been a lifeline for others.
All of these small victories in the fight against the virus are things to be celebrated. Maybe to pass the time we can plan what our own celebrations might involve when finally we are allowed to meet up and move around in freedom again.
For Christians there are far more reasons to celebrate everyday than possibly others realise. Each day we celebrate that we have a God who loves us and cares for us. Each day we celebrate that Jesus loves us so much that he died in our place so that we can be forgiven. Each day we celebrate that we are not alone and the Holy Spirit dwells within us to help us on our daily journey. Each day we celebrate because we know that there is a greater celebration to come that will surpass anything that might have happened on VE day or that we might plan for the end of this pandemic. We know that the best and final celebration is still to come when we meet Jesus face to face and spend eternity in God’s presence. There can be no greater hope to see us through this time, than to anticipate the greatest celebration of all.
So for now let us celebrate each small victory that comes our way, let us celebrate the goodness and kindness of those around us and also share our hope of that final celebration with all those we can. The chorus from 1980 written by Joanne Pond remind us:
O give thanks to the Lord, all you His people.
O give thanks to the Lord for He is good.
Let us praise, let us thank, let us celebrate and dance.
O give thanks to the Lord for He is good.
Though we are still in the midst of the pandemic now, it makes me wonder what the celebrations will be like when finally everyone is released from lockdown and our society or “normal” life can begin again without the same fear or restrictions. And will this period of time still be remembered and the lifting of restrictions be celebrated in 75 years’ time? Who knows, but there’s nothing to stop anyone of us from having our own mini celebrations as the days go by. There is still so much to celebrate, apart from our own personal milestones such as birthdays or anniversaries, we can celebrate all the good things that are still happening and have been put in place to help us at this time.
Think about the way in which hospitals and the staff and working practices have been adapted and changed to accommodate the impact of the virus. Think about the measures put in place to offer support to those who have had to work from home or cannot work at the moment. Think about those involved in the supply chain who make sure that the food and other essentials that we need are still available. Think about the many ways that we can all stay in touch through technology or via TV and radio. Think about the many gestures of goodwill made by neighbours and strangers that have been a lifeline for others.
All of these small victories in the fight against the virus are things to be celebrated. Maybe to pass the time we can plan what our own celebrations might involve when finally we are allowed to meet up and move around in freedom again.
For Christians there are far more reasons to celebrate everyday than possibly others realise. Each day we celebrate that we have a God who loves us and cares for us. Each day we celebrate that Jesus loves us so much that he died in our place so that we can be forgiven. Each day we celebrate that we are not alone and the Holy Spirit dwells within us to help us on our daily journey. Each day we celebrate because we know that there is a greater celebration to come that will surpass anything that might have happened on VE day or that we might plan for the end of this pandemic. We know that the best and final celebration is still to come when we meet Jesus face to face and spend eternity in God’s presence. There can be no greater hope to see us through this time, than to anticipate the greatest celebration of all.
So for now let us celebrate each small victory that comes our way, let us celebrate the goodness and kindness of those around us and also share our hope of that final celebration with all those we can. The chorus from 1980 written by Joanne Pond remind us:
O give thanks to the Lord, all you His people.
O give thanks to the Lord for He is good.
Let us praise, let us thank, let us celebrate and dance.
O give thanks to the Lord for He is good.
Lois Morton, one of the circuit Local Preachers, shares some thoughts on hymns
When do you do your thinking? In our usually busy, and hopefully enjoyable lives, we sometimes rush so much that we do not have the time to stop and consider. The last few weeks have given us a different perspective. Many of us will have had different thoughts than usual. We maybe are worried – about health, about loneliness, about practical things like how to obtain life’s necessities, about what the future holds in these uncertain times. Hopefully some people have remained positive, sustained by our faith in God’s Love.
I have been able to take our dog for a walk each day and find this a special time for thoughts. I have always liked Christian music, whether traditional hymns or more modern worship songs and find that words from these often come to mind. The same could be said of Bible verses and thankfully these form the basis of so much worship material. Very often it is not the first line of which I think but that then leads me to go through the verses until I remember how the hymn/song begins and one thought leads to another.
· ‘You are my rock in times of trouble’ (Faithful One so unchanging) took me to ‘Rock of ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee’.
· ‘He sees their hopes, he knows their fears’ (Praise ye the Lord tis good to raise your hearts and voices in his praise) reminded me of ‘All my Hope on God is founded’
· ‘There is a Redeemer… Thank you O my Father for giving us your Son and leaving your Spirit till the work on earth is done’ took me to ‘Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me.’
I am so thankful that I know all these lovely words. I never set out to ‘learn’ them but sharing in many services over the years have enabled them to be buried in me. I trust you also have similar things in your memories. When they are most needed God enables them to be brought to mind. Our troubled thinking can be changed as we remember his faithfulness.
We share in the words from Singing the Faith 774:
The peace of the earth be with you
The peace of the heavens too.
The peace of the rivers be with you
The peace of the oceans too.
Deep peace falling over you
God’s peace. God’s peace growing in you.
I have been able to take our dog for a walk each day and find this a special time for thoughts. I have always liked Christian music, whether traditional hymns or more modern worship songs and find that words from these often come to mind. The same could be said of Bible verses and thankfully these form the basis of so much worship material. Very often it is not the first line of which I think but that then leads me to go through the verses until I remember how the hymn/song begins and one thought leads to another.
· ‘You are my rock in times of trouble’ (Faithful One so unchanging) took me to ‘Rock of ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee’.
· ‘He sees their hopes, he knows their fears’ (Praise ye the Lord tis good to raise your hearts and voices in his praise) reminded me of ‘All my Hope on God is founded’
· ‘There is a Redeemer… Thank you O my Father for giving us your Son and leaving your Spirit till the work on earth is done’ took me to ‘Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me.’
I am so thankful that I know all these lovely words. I never set out to ‘learn’ them but sharing in many services over the years have enabled them to be buried in me. I trust you also have similar things in your memories. When they are most needed God enables them to be brought to mind. Our troubled thinking can be changed as we remember his faithfulness.
We share in the words from Singing the Faith 774:
The peace of the earth be with you
The peace of the heavens too.
The peace of the rivers be with you
The peace of the oceans too.
Deep peace falling over you
God’s peace. God’s peace growing in you.
7th Week of closure - 3rd May
We’re coming towards the end of the 6th week of lock down and the day is fast approaching when the government will announce what the next few weeks will look like. There is so much speculation in the media as to what might happen or might not happen, which restrictions might be lifted or what will continue. I don’t know about you, but I’m beginning to tune out of all that debate. I’m sure that even now, those who have the responsibility to make these decisions haven’t fully agreed and decided what the next steps will be. They will surely be watching closely what is happening in other countries that are already removing some of their restrictions before coming up with a final plan. The situation is changing daily, so how anyone is able to predict our future I’m not certain.
I know that people like to be prepared and to know what’s coming. That’s me in a nutshell “Little Miss Organised”. But actually there is so much in life, in our day to day existence that we cannot plan or prepare for, that we cannot organise to the nth degree so that we feel safe and comfortable with what is happening. Life can, and does take us by surprise and that seems to be what is happening on a world-wide scale at the moment. I’m not sure that anyone was able to predict the current situation.
With all the things that have happened in our family over the last few months, I know I wouldn’t like to have known all that was going to be heading our way. I’m convinced that the things we have had to encounter wouldn’t have been made any easier if we had known about them in advance. All that would have happened, to my mind, is that we would have endured a longer period of worry and anxiety. We couldn’t have changed anything by knowing of it in advance, so for me certainly, it was better to live in ignorance of the future. We were able to get on with enjoying our lives and then, when things began to unfold, we dealt with everything on a daily basis, trusting God to take us through each day ready to start again the next morning.
So rather than try and second guess what will be happening a few days from now we should perhaps try to concentrate on what we can do today. Aim to make the best of what we have and can do, even when it’s not an ideal situation, knowing that God is still active and working in his world. As verse 11 from Jeremiah chapter 29 reminds us: “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Whilst I was preparing this, the words of the chorus from the hymn I do not know what lies ahead written by Albert B Smith, came to mind:
I know who holds the future and I know who holds my hand
With God things don’t just happen everything by Him is planned
So as I face tomorrow with its problems large or small
I’ll trust the God of miracles, give to Him my all.
Blessing
Know then that God is with you
Even as the days look different
Ask what you can do to make God’s kingdom real for someone
Through what you do: prayer, chat, safe acts of kindness
Know God is at work.
Amen
Written by Jane Bingham and taken from The Vine at Hom
I know that people like to be prepared and to know what’s coming. That’s me in a nutshell “Little Miss Organised”. But actually there is so much in life, in our day to day existence that we cannot plan or prepare for, that we cannot organise to the nth degree so that we feel safe and comfortable with what is happening. Life can, and does take us by surprise and that seems to be what is happening on a world-wide scale at the moment. I’m not sure that anyone was able to predict the current situation.
With all the things that have happened in our family over the last few months, I know I wouldn’t like to have known all that was going to be heading our way. I’m convinced that the things we have had to encounter wouldn’t have been made any easier if we had known about them in advance. All that would have happened, to my mind, is that we would have endured a longer period of worry and anxiety. We couldn’t have changed anything by knowing of it in advance, so for me certainly, it was better to live in ignorance of the future. We were able to get on with enjoying our lives and then, when things began to unfold, we dealt with everything on a daily basis, trusting God to take us through each day ready to start again the next morning.
So rather than try and second guess what will be happening a few days from now we should perhaps try to concentrate on what we can do today. Aim to make the best of what we have and can do, even when it’s not an ideal situation, knowing that God is still active and working in his world. As verse 11 from Jeremiah chapter 29 reminds us: “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Whilst I was preparing this, the words of the chorus from the hymn I do not know what lies ahead written by Albert B Smith, came to mind:
I know who holds the future and I know who holds my hand
With God things don’t just happen everything by Him is planned
So as I face tomorrow with its problems large or small
I’ll trust the God of miracles, give to Him my all.
Blessing
Know then that God is with you
Even as the days look different
Ask what you can do to make God’s kingdom real for someone
Through what you do: prayer, chat, safe acts of kindness
Know God is at work.
Amen
Written by Jane Bingham and taken from The Vine at Hom
6th Week of closure - 26th April
Five weeks into lockdown and the sixth Sunday when we have been unable to meet together to share in worship. What things are you missing by now? I’m sure we could all produce a comprehensive list. But actually we have probably gained some things too and have a greater appreciation for many things that we took for granted before lockdown arrived. Hopefully when life returns to something resembling normal, we will all be a little bit different; ready to leave behind the things we have found weren’t necessary after all, and have a true gratitude for those things that we have found to be most important and life enriching.
I’ve been thinking about the many people/ organisations that we have to be thankful for during these current times. People who have always been around, carrying out their work and service but in recent days brought out into the spotlight. So many people and organisations that I’m not even going to try and list them, but we all know who they are and how they have been so valuable to us as individuals and to our society as a whole. But the more I think about this the more the list of people to be thankful for grows …. and grows. Because when you think about it, in the current situation of lockdown and of restricted movement and interaction we are all playing our part.
Yes, it is an order from the Government that people stay at home and limit contact and the Police have powers to arrest or fine those who don’t comply but by and large, as far as I can tell, most people seem to be abiding by these rules. That means each one of us, you and I, are also playing our part in ensuring that the virus does not rage out of control and that many more deaths are prevented. We might not feel that as we stay at home, day after day, we have anything to contribute to what it happening, but we are all doing our bit. By following the restrictions of the lockdown we are helping keep people safe and limiting the damage that this virus can do. We may not make the headlines, and rightly so, but we are all doing our part to help in these extreme circumstances.
This thinking brought to mind the passages in the Bible where we read about being parts of a body, the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 would be a good place to start looking if you want to know more. We are told that even though we are all different, have various skills and abilities, we are all part of the same body. And without all of the parts doing their bit, the body would not be able to function effectively. We usually consider this teaching to help us look at the work of the church and Christian community, but it strikes me that this image can also be used in the context of our current situation. Without each of us playing our part in the lockdown process, the work of so many essential/ front line staff would be that much harder, if not impossible. We are not in this on our own, we are in this together. In Romans 12:4-5 we read, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ, we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
So though the restrictions might begin to chafe, or a change of circumstances seem a distant dream, we all have our part to play in helping manage the current situation. Our ability to worship, to pray, to care for and support others has not been taken away from us, we a still a part of the body of Christ. We just have to allow ourselves to think and work in different ways during this time of lockdown.
In the days of Unity we sang a song written by David Emmerson which began:
In the body of Christ we must all play our part
With Jesus as the head and his Spirit at the heart
And we’re living, not as many, but one.
I’ve been thinking about the many people/ organisations that we have to be thankful for during these current times. People who have always been around, carrying out their work and service but in recent days brought out into the spotlight. So many people and organisations that I’m not even going to try and list them, but we all know who they are and how they have been so valuable to us as individuals and to our society as a whole. But the more I think about this the more the list of people to be thankful for grows …. and grows. Because when you think about it, in the current situation of lockdown and of restricted movement and interaction we are all playing our part.
Yes, it is an order from the Government that people stay at home and limit contact and the Police have powers to arrest or fine those who don’t comply but by and large, as far as I can tell, most people seem to be abiding by these rules. That means each one of us, you and I, are also playing our part in ensuring that the virus does not rage out of control and that many more deaths are prevented. We might not feel that as we stay at home, day after day, we have anything to contribute to what it happening, but we are all doing our bit. By following the restrictions of the lockdown we are helping keep people safe and limiting the damage that this virus can do. We may not make the headlines, and rightly so, but we are all doing our part to help in these extreme circumstances.
This thinking brought to mind the passages in the Bible where we read about being parts of a body, the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 would be a good place to start looking if you want to know more. We are told that even though we are all different, have various skills and abilities, we are all part of the same body. And without all of the parts doing their bit, the body would not be able to function effectively. We usually consider this teaching to help us look at the work of the church and Christian community, but it strikes me that this image can also be used in the context of our current situation. Without each of us playing our part in the lockdown process, the work of so many essential/ front line staff would be that much harder, if not impossible. We are not in this on our own, we are in this together. In Romans 12:4-5 we read, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ, we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
So though the restrictions might begin to chafe, or a change of circumstances seem a distant dream, we all have our part to play in helping manage the current situation. Our ability to worship, to pray, to care for and support others has not been taken away from us, we a still a part of the body of Christ. We just have to allow ourselves to think and work in different ways during this time of lockdown.
In the days of Unity we sang a song written by David Emmerson which began:
In the body of Christ we must all play our part
With Jesus as the head and his Spirit at the heart
And we’re living, not as many, but one.
5th Week of closure - 19th April
Another 3 weeks of lock down announced this week, following on from the previous 3 weeks we’ve just endured. And from what we can assume even at the end of these 3 weeks there isn’t going to be an announcement that everyone will be free to go about their normal lives again. If there is to be a release, then it will only be partial and again very carefully controlled. How is this going for you?
For myself life seems to have settled into a fairly steady, if predictable routine. Still housework to be done, still work to be done (as much as can be done from home anyway), still the garden to keep tidy, still a daily walk (though much longer than it used to be), still some church jobs to be done (keeping in contact with people as much as possible). The difference now is that this is all done at a much slower pace, the need to rush, hurry and get onto the next task has gone. And some days there’s even the opportunity to spend time reading or stitching, playing a game or watching a film. Things not often achieved before lock down.
So for me this time of restriction has brought a welcome change of pace and opened up opportunities to do things I would normally not have had time for. Yes, there are things that I miss, but for now I am content. That may not be the same for you. For some I would imagine the walls may be closing in and the lack of social contact or regular routine outside of the home might be constricting. You might be feeling trapped and anxious, counting the days until more normal life resumes. However we are feeling at this moment, I am sure that the things we are learning, the skills we might be developing, the understanding we might be honing, gaining a deeper appreciation of what is important, will all be useful when we come through this situation. No time is wasted even if we might feel that it is at the moment.
What comes after this is unknown. Whatever it is, life is going to be different for all of us following our experience of lockdown and the fear of the virus. So maybe for us, this is a time of preparation, of getting into the right frame of mind, of being more open to God’s prompting, of being challenged into new ways of thinking and doing so that we are ready for what comes next.
During the days after the wonder of the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, the disciples were enduring strange times. They were still keeping themselves largely hidden away, uncertain of what their role was meant to be and fearing that their lives were in danger. Throughout the 40 days, until his ascension, Jesus continued to meet with them. He met with them individually, in 2s and 3s and in small groups. He talked to them, encouraged them, told them of his plans and their work and mission for the future. The disciples probably didn’t really understand all that Jesus told them, and it would only be as they moved on into the next phase of their discipleship, after Jesus had returned to heaven, that they realised more fully what it was they had to do.
So as the disciples made use of that 40 days after the resurrection to learn, to change and to live differently, maybe we should make the most of this time of lockdown to prepare ourselves for being Christians, for being the church in a world post coronavirus. A prayer from the Methodist website:
Loving God, If we are ill, strengthen us.
If we are tired, fortify our spirits.
If we are anxious, help us to consider the lillies of the field and the birds of the air.
Help us not to stockpile treasures from supermarkets in the barns of our larders.
Don't let fear cause us to overlook the needs of others more vulnerable than ourselves.
Fix our eyes on your story and our hearts on your grace.
Help us always to hold fast to the good,
See the good in others,
And remember there is just one world, one hope,
One everlasting love, with baskets of bread for everyone.
In Jesus we make our prayer,
The one who suffered, died and was raised to new life,
In whom we trust these days and all days,
Amen.
The Revd Barbara Glasson, President of the Methodist Conference
For myself life seems to have settled into a fairly steady, if predictable routine. Still housework to be done, still work to be done (as much as can be done from home anyway), still the garden to keep tidy, still a daily walk (though much longer than it used to be), still some church jobs to be done (keeping in contact with people as much as possible). The difference now is that this is all done at a much slower pace, the need to rush, hurry and get onto the next task has gone. And some days there’s even the opportunity to spend time reading or stitching, playing a game or watching a film. Things not often achieved before lock down.
So for me this time of restriction has brought a welcome change of pace and opened up opportunities to do things I would normally not have had time for. Yes, there are things that I miss, but for now I am content. That may not be the same for you. For some I would imagine the walls may be closing in and the lack of social contact or regular routine outside of the home might be constricting. You might be feeling trapped and anxious, counting the days until more normal life resumes. However we are feeling at this moment, I am sure that the things we are learning, the skills we might be developing, the understanding we might be honing, gaining a deeper appreciation of what is important, will all be useful when we come through this situation. No time is wasted even if we might feel that it is at the moment.
What comes after this is unknown. Whatever it is, life is going to be different for all of us following our experience of lockdown and the fear of the virus. So maybe for us, this is a time of preparation, of getting into the right frame of mind, of being more open to God’s prompting, of being challenged into new ways of thinking and doing so that we are ready for what comes next.
During the days after the wonder of the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, the disciples were enduring strange times. They were still keeping themselves largely hidden away, uncertain of what their role was meant to be and fearing that their lives were in danger. Throughout the 40 days, until his ascension, Jesus continued to meet with them. He met with them individually, in 2s and 3s and in small groups. He talked to them, encouraged them, told them of his plans and their work and mission for the future. The disciples probably didn’t really understand all that Jesus told them, and it would only be as they moved on into the next phase of their discipleship, after Jesus had returned to heaven, that they realised more fully what it was they had to do.
So as the disciples made use of that 40 days after the resurrection to learn, to change and to live differently, maybe we should make the most of this time of lockdown to prepare ourselves for being Christians, for being the church in a world post coronavirus. A prayer from the Methodist website:
Loving God, If we are ill, strengthen us.
If we are tired, fortify our spirits.
If we are anxious, help us to consider the lillies of the field and the birds of the air.
Help us not to stockpile treasures from supermarkets in the barns of our larders.
Don't let fear cause us to overlook the needs of others more vulnerable than ourselves.
Fix our eyes on your story and our hearts on your grace.
Help us always to hold fast to the good,
See the good in others,
And remember there is just one world, one hope,
One everlasting love, with baskets of bread for everyone.
In Jesus we make our prayer,
The one who suffered, died and was raised to new life,
In whom we trust these days and all days,
Amen.
The Revd Barbara Glasson, President of the Methodist Conference
4th Week of closure - 12th April
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, hallelujah!
That would normally have been our first greeting at the sunrise service at 6 am on Easter Sunday. And though I didn’t miss the early start I have missed the fellowship, celebration and breakfast we usually share on this wonderful day. I hope we have all been able to mark the day in some way, perhaps sharing in one of the many worship services either on-line, or on tv or radio.
It does seem strange not to have been able to meet together to share in the Holy Week services, and be reminded of the events leading up to the realisation by the first disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead. This was the last thing they were expecting, even though Jesus had dropped some hints, but would we have thought any differently had we been among them?
It took a little while for the message to reach them all and for them to believe that it was indeed true (no social media then!), but once they knew Jesus was still with them, their outlook on life changed again. After a bold entrance into Jerusalem the week before, the events of the last few days had made them fearful and they had hidden away, afraid for their lives. But the amazing news that Jesus was alive meant that they became bold speakers and preachers sharing the message of hope that is found in knowing Jesus.
As Christians we know that Jesus is alive and even though at the moment we might be confined to our homes, like the first disciples as they hid themselves away in fear of the religious leaders, this is not how it is going to be for ever. We can still share the good news in many ways even now, in the way that we care for our families, look out for our neighbours and support those in need. And who knows what our worship and service might look like in the future as we are once again allowed to meet together and share in fellowship.
On this Easter Sunday as we celebrate the empty tomb and Jesus’ resurrection we can be sure that he is alive and with us now and that is the greatest message of hope that we can share today.
The words of the song by Ben Cantelon and Tim Hughes sum up it up:
The greatest day in history
Death is beaten, You have rescued me
Sing it out, Jesus is alive
The empty cross, the empty grave
Life eternal, You have won the day
Shout it out, Jesus is alive
He's alive
That would normally have been our first greeting at the sunrise service at 6 am on Easter Sunday. And though I didn’t miss the early start I have missed the fellowship, celebration and breakfast we usually share on this wonderful day. I hope we have all been able to mark the day in some way, perhaps sharing in one of the many worship services either on-line, or on tv or radio.
It does seem strange not to have been able to meet together to share in the Holy Week services, and be reminded of the events leading up to the realisation by the first disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead. This was the last thing they were expecting, even though Jesus had dropped some hints, but would we have thought any differently had we been among them?
It took a little while for the message to reach them all and for them to believe that it was indeed true (no social media then!), but once they knew Jesus was still with them, their outlook on life changed again. After a bold entrance into Jerusalem the week before, the events of the last few days had made them fearful and they had hidden away, afraid for their lives. But the amazing news that Jesus was alive meant that they became bold speakers and preachers sharing the message of hope that is found in knowing Jesus.
As Christians we know that Jesus is alive and even though at the moment we might be confined to our homes, like the first disciples as they hid themselves away in fear of the religious leaders, this is not how it is going to be for ever. We can still share the good news in many ways even now, in the way that we care for our families, look out for our neighbours and support those in need. And who knows what our worship and service might look like in the future as we are once again allowed to meet together and share in fellowship.
On this Easter Sunday as we celebrate the empty tomb and Jesus’ resurrection we can be sure that he is alive and with us now and that is the greatest message of hope that we can share today.
The words of the song by Ben Cantelon and Tim Hughes sum up it up:
The greatest day in history
Death is beaten, You have rescued me
Sing it out, Jesus is alive
The empty cross, the empty grave
Life eternal, You have won the day
Shout it out, Jesus is alive
He's alive
Andrew Winthrop shared a story with a message for Easter on 10th April
A reflection on the Easter story for you titled "Tree life". As an introduction, I wrote this story about three years ago, and even though I didn't intend it to reflect the Easter story, it seems to fit. I know a story of the life of a tree seems an odd fit with Easter, but the story ends up about being put to death, only to be resurrected. Also within the story, there are elements about growth, beginning from a small seed which is planted in good soil. Seeming insignificant at first, but growing in strength. Another element are roots being fed by living water. Also, the bark of the tree being used for medicinal purposes (healing), and branches and leaves being used for shelter. The story continues with everything having a purpose in life, and even when life seems bleak, God has a plan for us. Even defeating death. Through the blood of Christ, we are saved from death by the resurrection. Finally, the story finishes with the tree of life bearing much fruit.
There may be more elements of the story that you can associate with, and it would be interesting to read any thoughts that you have.
A story titled "Tree life"-
Every life has a beginning, and mine started off as a tiny seed that fell to the ground. If I had fallen on shallow rocky ground, I wouldn't of survived, but I was blessed to have landed in good rich soil.
I wasn't much to look at in the first place. Nobody really noticed me, as I was so small, but sometimes people only see who you are on the surface, and don't see the roots that make you who you really are. I felt useless and alone during my early years, and I suppose I was just trying to survive among giants of other trees.
What kept me going was that good soil, as well as what felt like living water rising up through my roots, feeding and making me strong. Sunlight filtering down from above gave me strength to grow, which is just what I did.
I started to reach towards the sky, with my trunk broadening with each passing year, while my branches started to stretch out. Seeds that grew formed into fruit on my branches. My leaves appeared each year in the season of Spring, and looked glorious right through to the end of Summer, then during the Autumn season, they then fell to the ground, and so by Winter, my branches were bare. Though every Spring, they grew afresh again.
I saw so much life during the years I stood there, with birds and other creatures resting among my branches and feeding off my fruit. Children climbed and played among those same branches, which I didn't mind, as their laughter was joyful. Adult humans rested against my trunk, but it grieved me when I saw them carving their names in my bark.
At times, my bark has been removed for good purposes, as people used it to cure illnesses, but then made sure I survived by only removing small amounts and treating my exposed wood. Similarly with my leaves, even after they had fallen to the ground, creatures used them to shelter among. My leaves could also be used for compost to help make good soil.
After many hundreds of years of standing in the same spot, seeing life come and go, I began to wonder how my own life would end up.
One day, a group of men came with axes, looking for the strongest, tallest, and broadest tree in the forest. They finally noticed me, and started hacking at the base of my trunk, cutting great big chunks into me until I came crashing to the forest floor. They carved me up until I didn't resemble my former glory anymore. Then taking me to a carpenters workshop, he formed me into the shape of a cross. What good was I to anyone now?
Then being carried by a bloody and beaten man among vast crowds to what seemed to be my final journey. Him being so weak, he could no longer support my weight by himself, so guards forced a stranger to help him the rest of the way, which ended at the peak of a hill, being in the shape of a skull. Here they cruelly drove nails through his wrists and ankles, which then continued to be driven into my grain, then hoisting myself up with the man pinned to me for everyone to see.
As people mocked this man, who was known by the name of Jesus, I didn't feel like a proud beautiful tree any longer. Feeling his blood soak into my grain, I could feel his life ebbing away. He then cried out, asking God, who was also his Father, why he had forsaken him. At this, he then gave up his spirit, and died.
I thought this was a sad end for his life and mine, as just as his dead body was took away to be buried in a tomb, so I was took away to be burned into a pile of ashes.
But it doesn't end there. Three days later, Jesus was miraculously resurrected, where he again walked among his people. Finally ascending to a place called heaven, he was reunited with his Father.
And as for me, I also gained new life. Jesus and his Father came to live in the New Jerusalem, among those who were saved by that very same blood that had soaked into my grain. In the middle of this city, a seed that came from me, which had fallen to the ground when I was being chopped down, grew into a strong tall broad tree, which is at the centre of this beautiful city. Being called the tree of life, it bears much fruit.
There may be more elements of the story that you can associate with, and it would be interesting to read any thoughts that you have.
A story titled "Tree life"-
Every life has a beginning, and mine started off as a tiny seed that fell to the ground. If I had fallen on shallow rocky ground, I wouldn't of survived, but I was blessed to have landed in good rich soil.
I wasn't much to look at in the first place. Nobody really noticed me, as I was so small, but sometimes people only see who you are on the surface, and don't see the roots that make you who you really are. I felt useless and alone during my early years, and I suppose I was just trying to survive among giants of other trees.
What kept me going was that good soil, as well as what felt like living water rising up through my roots, feeding and making me strong. Sunlight filtering down from above gave me strength to grow, which is just what I did.
I started to reach towards the sky, with my trunk broadening with each passing year, while my branches started to stretch out. Seeds that grew formed into fruit on my branches. My leaves appeared each year in the season of Spring, and looked glorious right through to the end of Summer, then during the Autumn season, they then fell to the ground, and so by Winter, my branches were bare. Though every Spring, they grew afresh again.
I saw so much life during the years I stood there, with birds and other creatures resting among my branches and feeding off my fruit. Children climbed and played among those same branches, which I didn't mind, as their laughter was joyful. Adult humans rested against my trunk, but it grieved me when I saw them carving their names in my bark.
At times, my bark has been removed for good purposes, as people used it to cure illnesses, but then made sure I survived by only removing small amounts and treating my exposed wood. Similarly with my leaves, even after they had fallen to the ground, creatures used them to shelter among. My leaves could also be used for compost to help make good soil.
After many hundreds of years of standing in the same spot, seeing life come and go, I began to wonder how my own life would end up.
One day, a group of men came with axes, looking for the strongest, tallest, and broadest tree in the forest. They finally noticed me, and started hacking at the base of my trunk, cutting great big chunks into me until I came crashing to the forest floor. They carved me up until I didn't resemble my former glory anymore. Then taking me to a carpenters workshop, he formed me into the shape of a cross. What good was I to anyone now?
Then being carried by a bloody and beaten man among vast crowds to what seemed to be my final journey. Him being so weak, he could no longer support my weight by himself, so guards forced a stranger to help him the rest of the way, which ended at the peak of a hill, being in the shape of a skull. Here they cruelly drove nails through his wrists and ankles, which then continued to be driven into my grain, then hoisting myself up with the man pinned to me for everyone to see.
As people mocked this man, who was known by the name of Jesus, I didn't feel like a proud beautiful tree any longer. Feeling his blood soak into my grain, I could feel his life ebbing away. He then cried out, asking God, who was also his Father, why he had forsaken him. At this, he then gave up his spirit, and died.
I thought this was a sad end for his life and mine, as just as his dead body was took away to be buried in a tomb, so I was took away to be burned into a pile of ashes.
But it doesn't end there. Three days later, Jesus was miraculously resurrected, where he again walked among his people. Finally ascending to a place called heaven, he was reunited with his Father.
And as for me, I also gained new life. Jesus and his Father came to live in the New Jerusalem, among those who were saved by that very same blood that had soaked into my grain. In the middle of this city, a seed that came from me, which had fallen to the ground when I was being chopped down, grew into a strong tall broad tree, which is at the centre of this beautiful city. Being called the tree of life, it bears much fruit.
Lois Morton, a local Preacher in the Penrith Circuit shares some thoughts on Holy Week
We are in Holy Week but find ourselves in a very different position to the same week in previous years. We cannot meet with our church and circuit friends each evening to try and experience again the meaning of these most important days for Christians. But we can still read again the story of Jesus’ last days as he became the Saviour of the world and our Saviour.
These accounts will tell us of his entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, his discussions with those who asked him difficult questions to try and catch him out and his preparations for sharing a Passover Meal with his friends. At that meal he shared bread and wine around the table and commanded his followers then and now to “Do this in remembrance of me.” He explained that this bread and wine was the symbolic meaning of what he would do as he would shortly die on a cross. He also became a Servant to his friends as he washed their feet and commanded them to become Servants for him. Jesus was subsequently arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, tried before the Jewish and Roman Authorities and condemned to death by crucifixion.
What are we to understand by all these happenings? Here is God, shown forth in his Son Jesus who had called his disciples to follow him and share in his ministry and who continues that calling to us to be his followers today. We try to grasp something of what his giving of himself means and how it is relevant for today’s world. His self-giving love has reached to us, offering us forgiveness (again and again) and wanting to constantly renew our lives for his service. We do this in thankfulness and praise, remembering that each individual person matters to God.
The cross spells two stories: one in black – ugly black- the story of sin. Sin carpentered the Cross, and wove the thorns, and drove the nails – our sin! And a story too in red – the story of LOVE, HIS LOVE that yielded to the cross and nails for us! The hill of the cross is the highest hill on earth in it significance. There hate’s worst and love’s best met – AND LOVE WON. (Dr S D Gordon)
So we pause and reflect which will help us again discover the joy of Easter.
Prayer:
Father we remember gratefully and humbly that Jesus bore the cross for us. Help us willingly to accept the cost of doing what is right, resisting what is false, helping those in need, forgiving those who have done wrong and, in ways that each new day may demand, loving you and our fellows with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, so fulfilling your commandment. Amen
(Prayers for the Church community)
These accounts will tell us of his entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, his discussions with those who asked him difficult questions to try and catch him out and his preparations for sharing a Passover Meal with his friends. At that meal he shared bread and wine around the table and commanded his followers then and now to “Do this in remembrance of me.” He explained that this bread and wine was the symbolic meaning of what he would do as he would shortly die on a cross. He also became a Servant to his friends as he washed their feet and commanded them to become Servants for him. Jesus was subsequently arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, tried before the Jewish and Roman Authorities and condemned to death by crucifixion.
What are we to understand by all these happenings? Here is God, shown forth in his Son Jesus who had called his disciples to follow him and share in his ministry and who continues that calling to us to be his followers today. We try to grasp something of what his giving of himself means and how it is relevant for today’s world. His self-giving love has reached to us, offering us forgiveness (again and again) and wanting to constantly renew our lives for his service. We do this in thankfulness and praise, remembering that each individual person matters to God.
The cross spells two stories: one in black – ugly black- the story of sin. Sin carpentered the Cross, and wove the thorns, and drove the nails – our sin! And a story too in red – the story of LOVE, HIS LOVE that yielded to the cross and nails for us! The hill of the cross is the highest hill on earth in it significance. There hate’s worst and love’s best met – AND LOVE WON. (Dr S D Gordon)
So we pause and reflect which will help us again discover the joy of Easter.
Prayer:
Father we remember gratefully and humbly that Jesus bore the cross for us. Help us willingly to accept the cost of doing what is right, resisting what is false, helping those in need, forgiving those who have done wrong and, in ways that each new day may demand, loving you and our fellows with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, so fulfilling your commandment. Amen
(Prayers for the Church community)
3rd Week of closure - 5th April
I’m sure by now we are all beginning to establish new routines and have become more accustomed to staying at home, apart from any essential time out. It may not be sitting well with us, or perhaps some of us are embracing the opportunity to live life at a slower pace and to focus on the things we can do, rather than what we feel we have to do or might be expected of us.
This Sunday of course is Palm Sunday when ordinarily there might have been some donkeys involved in church services, there would definitely have been palm crosses and our songs might have included “Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest”, “All glory, laud and honour, to thee Redeemer King”, or “Ride on, ride on in majesty! Hark all the tribes Hosanna cry!”. This year we will have to make our own celebrations and I have seen it suggested that we display a cross in a window as a mark of our still celebrating this season of Easter. This could be a palm cross, if you have kept one from previous years, a picture of a cross or one you have made yourself.
For me, for the past few years, Palm Sunday has taken me back to the pilgrimage made to the Holy Land. That included some time in Jerusalem and one day the whole group made the walk down the Mount of Olives from Paternoster Church down to the Church of All Nations next to the Garden of Gethsemane. All the time the view was of the Temple inside the city wall, the Dome of the Rock as it is now known. Although we were obviously following a different route and the situation and surrounding area was very different to when Jesus made his journey, for me it was an important time to reflect on how Jesus must have been thinking and feeling on his way down the hillside. Before him was rejection, abuse and the cross, yet the crowds were in celebratory mood, waving their palm branches and singing his praises. A time of conflicting emotions.
And for us at the moment, in the current situation, we are probably experiencing similar conflicting emotions. Many of us will be fearful, for our own health or that of a loved one, many of us will be worried about finances and what not working and earning will mean, many of us will be lonely and feel the isolation most keenly, many of us will be apprehensive as to how long the situation will last and how we will cope, many of us will be afraid to think of what the future, beyond this lock down, will bring. The most important thing to remember as Jesus, must also have done, is that God is with us. In everything that is happening in the wider world, within our communities and families, God is still there. As the Psalmist reminds us in Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Two prayers for Palm Sunday
Merciful God, as we enter Holy week, turn our hearts again to Jerusalem, and to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Stir up within us the gift of faith that we may not only praise him with our lips, but may follow him in the way of the cross.
John Paarlberg
Lord Jesus
We remember today the timeless story of how when your rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, your friends threw their clothing in your path and children waved palm branches welcoming you with their shouts of Hosanna.
Father loosen today the Hosannas that often stick in our sophisticated throats. Let the child in us come alive that we too may joyfully honour you. May our blinkered eyes catch something of who you really are - the Way, the Truth and the Life.
At the beginning of this holiest of weeks help us to examine our commitments, our loyalties, our priorities and assumptions. Do not let us be deceived as to where we would have stood had we been in Jerusalem that first Holy Week, we who constantly betray you with our lurking grudges, prejudices and reluctance to forgive.
May the events of this Palm Sunday and this coming week, pass silent judgement on our lives. Help us, like you, to have the courage to stand for the hard right against the easy wrong, and to share something of your passionate concern for justice and peace.
Help us not only to ask some of the big questions, but to find some of the big answers by joining today with the crowd that surrounded you on that first Palm Sunday, shouting that the answer to many of life’s biggest questions lies in you.
We pray in your name Amen
This Sunday of course is Palm Sunday when ordinarily there might have been some donkeys involved in church services, there would definitely have been palm crosses and our songs might have included “Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest”, “All glory, laud and honour, to thee Redeemer King”, or “Ride on, ride on in majesty! Hark all the tribes Hosanna cry!”. This year we will have to make our own celebrations and I have seen it suggested that we display a cross in a window as a mark of our still celebrating this season of Easter. This could be a palm cross, if you have kept one from previous years, a picture of a cross or one you have made yourself.
For me, for the past few years, Palm Sunday has taken me back to the pilgrimage made to the Holy Land. That included some time in Jerusalem and one day the whole group made the walk down the Mount of Olives from Paternoster Church down to the Church of All Nations next to the Garden of Gethsemane. All the time the view was of the Temple inside the city wall, the Dome of the Rock as it is now known. Although we were obviously following a different route and the situation and surrounding area was very different to when Jesus made his journey, for me it was an important time to reflect on how Jesus must have been thinking and feeling on his way down the hillside. Before him was rejection, abuse and the cross, yet the crowds were in celebratory mood, waving their palm branches and singing his praises. A time of conflicting emotions.
And for us at the moment, in the current situation, we are probably experiencing similar conflicting emotions. Many of us will be fearful, for our own health or that of a loved one, many of us will be worried about finances and what not working and earning will mean, many of us will be lonely and feel the isolation most keenly, many of us will be apprehensive as to how long the situation will last and how we will cope, many of us will be afraid to think of what the future, beyond this lock down, will bring. The most important thing to remember as Jesus, must also have done, is that God is with us. In everything that is happening in the wider world, within our communities and families, God is still there. As the Psalmist reminds us in Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Two prayers for Palm Sunday
Merciful God, as we enter Holy week, turn our hearts again to Jerusalem, and to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Stir up within us the gift of faith that we may not only praise him with our lips, but may follow him in the way of the cross.
John Paarlberg
Lord Jesus
We remember today the timeless story of how when your rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, your friends threw their clothing in your path and children waved palm branches welcoming you with their shouts of Hosanna.
Father loosen today the Hosannas that often stick in our sophisticated throats. Let the child in us come alive that we too may joyfully honour you. May our blinkered eyes catch something of who you really are - the Way, the Truth and the Life.
At the beginning of this holiest of weeks help us to examine our commitments, our loyalties, our priorities and assumptions. Do not let us be deceived as to where we would have stood had we been in Jerusalem that first Holy Week, we who constantly betray you with our lurking grudges, prejudices and reluctance to forgive.
May the events of this Palm Sunday and this coming week, pass silent judgement on our lives. Help us, like you, to have the courage to stand for the hard right against the easy wrong, and to share something of your passionate concern for justice and peace.
Help us not only to ask some of the big questions, but to find some of the big answers by joining today with the crowd that surrounded you on that first Palm Sunday, shouting that the answer to many of life’s biggest questions lies in you.
We pray in your name Amen
2nd Week of closure - 29th March
What a week it’s been! If we thought things were a bit strange last weekend well they’re certainly very odd now. We have all lost our freedom. We are being asked to stay at home, to restrict all movement outside to only that which is essential and to socially distance ourselves from everyone, apart from those we share a household with, unless self-isolating.
The dictionary definition I looked at says that freedom is having the ability to act or change without constraint. Someone or something is “free” if they, or it, can change easily and not be constrained in the present state.
We may have lost our freedom of movement at the moment but as Christians, those who follow Jesus, we still have our freedom in him. On this Passion Sunday we begin to remember the time that Jesus set off for Jerusalem and his final days. He had the freedom to choose where he was heading. We still have the freedom to choose too. The freedom to choose what kind of people we are and how we act and respond in the current situation. Although we are not able to meet together there are many ways that we can stay in touch and support each other. Social media is an easy way but not everything we see there is beneficial, so we do need to exercise some caution. A phone call and catch up would be good and if you have the means, maybe a card or a letter through the post, particularly to someone who is not connected virtually.
And always, at any time we can pray for individuals, for the current situation, for those in particular need and for those who are leading the country and in front-line positions. We would have had our prayer time at CWC on Wednesday 1st April between 7 and 8 pm. It would be good if people could commit at that time, to pray, particularly for the people involved at CWC, for the events and activities that normally take place and with hope looking to the future and being able to meet together again before too long.
I have been following the C of E Live Lent Daily Reflections and this week the prayer has been the words of one of my favourite hymns. This is a reminder to us all that God is with us each day and we need to be thankful for what we do have, rather than complaining about what we might be missing temporarily.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness.
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand has provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.
The dictionary definition I looked at says that freedom is having the ability to act or change without constraint. Someone or something is “free” if they, or it, can change easily and not be constrained in the present state.
We may have lost our freedom of movement at the moment but as Christians, those who follow Jesus, we still have our freedom in him. On this Passion Sunday we begin to remember the time that Jesus set off for Jerusalem and his final days. He had the freedom to choose where he was heading. We still have the freedom to choose too. The freedom to choose what kind of people we are and how we act and respond in the current situation. Although we are not able to meet together there are many ways that we can stay in touch and support each other. Social media is an easy way but not everything we see there is beneficial, so we do need to exercise some caution. A phone call and catch up would be good and if you have the means, maybe a card or a letter through the post, particularly to someone who is not connected virtually.
And always, at any time we can pray for individuals, for the current situation, for those in particular need and for those who are leading the country and in front-line positions. We would have had our prayer time at CWC on Wednesday 1st April between 7 and 8 pm. It would be good if people could commit at that time, to pray, particularly for the people involved at CWC, for the events and activities that normally take place and with hope looking to the future and being able to meet together again before too long.
I have been following the C of E Live Lent Daily Reflections and this week the prayer has been the words of one of my favourite hymns. This is a reminder to us all that God is with us each day and we need to be thankful for what we do have, rather than complaining about what we might be missing temporarily.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness.
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand has provided.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.
1st Week of closure - 22nd March
We are living in very strange and uncertain times which means life is very different for most of us this week. We are having to think of new ways of living that we possibly couldn’t have anticipated even last Sunday as we met together for worship. Though we have lost our freedom to gather together to worship we have not lost our God or our faith and so we are thankful for all the ways in which we can still share in our Christian fellowship.
I for one did a first this morning. I worshipped in my pjs! Having been up for a while at 8 o’ clock when the service was broadcast on Radio Cumbria I hadn’t got dressed, so just moved into our sunroom to sit and take part in the worship. Though I was sitting on my own I didn’t feel alone as I listened to the familiar hymns and songs, heard the Bible readings, listened to the talk by the Bishop of Penrith and joined in the prayers.
Hopefully all of us have access to radio/ TV/ internet/ social media so we can still be connected to one another: to our families, friends and fellowships. During the coming weeks it would be good if others could share experiences which will encourage and support each other and help us to remain a part of the CWC community.
Today perhaps is a difficult day for the first Sunday to be isolated as most of us would be remembering and celebrating in some way on Mothering Sunday. Below are a couple of short prayers you might like to use today.
Loving God,
Thank you for mums and children and for all the joy of family life.
Be with those who are grieving because they have no mother;
Be close to those who are struggling because they have no children;
Be near to those who are sad because they are far apart from those they love.
Let your love be present in every home,
And help your church to have eyes to see and ears to hear the needs of all who come.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
God of love,
passionate and strong,
tender and careful:
watch over us
and hold us all the days of our life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
I for one did a first this morning. I worshipped in my pjs! Having been up for a while at 8 o’ clock when the service was broadcast on Radio Cumbria I hadn’t got dressed, so just moved into our sunroom to sit and take part in the worship. Though I was sitting on my own I didn’t feel alone as I listened to the familiar hymns and songs, heard the Bible readings, listened to the talk by the Bishop of Penrith and joined in the prayers.
Hopefully all of us have access to radio/ TV/ internet/ social media so we can still be connected to one another: to our families, friends and fellowships. During the coming weeks it would be good if others could share experiences which will encourage and support each other and help us to remain a part of the CWC community.
Today perhaps is a difficult day for the first Sunday to be isolated as most of us would be remembering and celebrating in some way on Mothering Sunday. Below are a couple of short prayers you might like to use today.
Loving God,
Thank you for mums and children and for all the joy of family life.
Be with those who are grieving because they have no mother;
Be close to those who are struggling because they have no children;
Be near to those who are sad because they are far apart from those they love.
Let your love be present in every home,
And help your church to have eyes to see and ears to hear the needs of all who come.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
God of love,
passionate and strong,
tender and careful:
watch over us
and hold us all the days of our life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.