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A MESSAGE FROM OUR PASTORAL ELDER
At one time, as we moved out of January, hopefully leaving winter behind, the Amateur Weather Forecasters predicted with the well-known phrase, “February Fill-dyke”. They were very often correct as the snow-melt and rainfall filled the ditches, streams and rivers. It is not something that we hear so often these days, whilst we are in this current phase of climate change.
Just a few centuries ago, it was common practice to hold large fairs on the solid ice of the River Thames, week after week. Yet, several centuries before, the climate was significantly warmer than it is today, and the Scandinavians farmed Greenland very profitably. Climate changes pendulum their way across the centuries, and we cannot assume that what the weather did a 100 years ago will necessarily be repeated now!
This can be remarkably similar to the life of the Church and the preaching of the Gospel. Circumstances change, people’s attitudes change, demands on people’s priorities change, and we have to consider if we therefore need to look at different
ways of proclaiming Christ.
However, the Gospel message itself never changes, which is a good thing: at heart, in the core of their beings people don’t change either. It is still true that by nature we are all spiritually dead (not sick!) We still need to hear the message of the Cross and make a positive response to Christ’s claims on our lives. For that, of course, we need the Holy Spirit of God to work powerfully within us.
It would be wonderful if there were a spiritual “February Fill-dyke” in our Church and our village, but we cannot presume. We all need to pray with intensity for a visitation of the Rain of Heaven and the Floods of God’s Spirit .. And keep on praying with increased intensity until it happens. That is certainly one way in which we should be running with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Pop Bendith! (that is “Every Blessing” in the language that the angels speak!)
Peter
WORDS OF HOPE
from the Bible
(the Word of God)
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their measuring line goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
(Psalm 19, verses 1-6 (ESV))
In the beginning,
God created the heavens and the earth.
(Genesis chapter 1, verse 1 (ESV))
And God said,
"Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens
to separate the day from the night.
And let them be for signs and for seasons,
and for days and years,
and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens
to give light upon the earth."
And it was so.
And God made the two great lights -
the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night
- and the stars.
And God set them in the expanse of the heavens
to give light on the earth
to rule over the day and over the night,
and to separate the light from the darkness.
And God saw that it was good.
And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
(Genesis chapter 1, verses 14 -19 (ESV))
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
(Psalm 8, verses 3-4 (ESV))
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish
but have eternal life.
(John chapter, 3 verse 16 (ESV)
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