100...and counting

Today is Capt. Tom's 100th birthday...or should I say Colonel Tom's birthday. I think you will agree that Tom Moore (does he really need an introduction?) has captured the nation's heart. To date, he has raised £31 million for the NHS. He was live on TV this morning as a flypast of a Spitfire and a Hurricane went passed as a tribute to him. There were birthday messages from the Queen, Prince William, the Prime Minister and a host of celebrities and he received 125,000 birthday cards! As well as being giving the honorary title of Colonel, he was made honorary English Cricketer.

At this dark time in our history, the nation needs something to smile about and Colonel Tom Moore does that. A veteran of WW2, he reminds us of the generation who pulled together in dark and difficult times. Reaching his hundredth birthday reminds us that life goes on...regardless!

All over the world people are marking their birthdays behind closed doors. It is my son's birthday at the weekend and we will be celebrating by having a family game of bingo over Zoom. There might even be cake but it will be three different cakes and eaten in three separate households! I know that many people will be forgetting all about their birthdays this year. It isn't easy, is it, especially if you live on your own? I do happen to know a few people who like the idea of skipping their birthday, providing of course that they don't advance their age by another year!

We don't hear much about birthdays in the Bible. There are only three references to birthdays... one referring to Pharaoh, who gave a feast on his birthday (Genesis 40:20) and the other two refer to the same birthday party of Herod's (Matthew 14:6, Mark 6:21). We do, of course get good accounts about the birth of Jesus even if we are not given an exact date.

I don't know about you but I am losing track of the days. The pattern of my day has changed so much and there is only Sunday morning where I have a fixed time in my calendar. How are the days for you? How are you filling your time?  I started a jigsaw the other day. I've have always loved jigsaws but I haven't done one for years. I remember when I was about 11 years old and I was given a 3,000 piece jigsaw for my birthday. We had a large drop-leaf table at the time and the jigsaw took up the entire space. It took the full family weeks and weeks to finish it!  I find doing a jigsaw quite therapeutic. I can switch off from the world and be lost in my own thoughts as I piece together the puzzle before me. Quite useful really with all that's going on in the world at the moment. This time of lockdown really helps us to put things in perspective and sort out what is important in our lives. So keep on smiling. As Colonel Tom has (now) famously said "The sun will shine on you again, and the clouds will go away."

"There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens."

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Act now...

You may recall that I mentioned in a previous blog that I intended to go on my exercise bike each morning? Well, I'm pleased to report that I'm 'cycling the equivalent of 5 miles each morning. The good thing about it is that, as well as getting some much-needed exercise, I'm also reading as I'm cycling (you can't do that on the road!) I picked the book off the bookshelf at random and have been reading a couple of chapters each day. I'm really enjoying it. The book is about leadership. Most of the books on my bookshelves are theology books but this one, although about leadership, is written like a novel and it weaves a story around how to build relationships in business (and in life). It hasn’t really got going yet and I’m looking forward to learning a thing or two! 

It isn't easy being a leader of three churches that are in lockdown! It has now been 5 months since I was licensed as Priest-in-charge and it isn't the start I expected.  What is it they say...expect the unexpected! Never in my wildest dreams...

Writing blogs and seeing people online isn't the way that I envisioned getting to know people. In many ways, I still feel like 'the new kid on the block'! The way that the worship pattern works means that in real terms, you can count on one hand the number of Sunday services I have led at each church...yes, it is still early days!

The Sunday readings throughout the Easter Season, right up until Pentecost (Sunday 31st May) include a reading from The Acts of the Apostles. It is a rivetting read...a real page turner! It tells us about how the early followers of Jesus, led by the Holy Spirit, spread the Good News and began the Christian movement that spread throughout the world. I encourage you all (myself included) to sit down, get out your Bible and read through the full book of the Acts of the Apostles. Grab yourself a cuppa (you might need a biscuit ot two) and read all 28 chapters without a break. It is an exercise worth doing. 

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Then as we approach Ascension Day, we will have some daily Bible Studies, based on Acts, leading up to a service to mark Holy Ascension's Patronal Festival. Are you up for the 'Act'? If so, take out your Bible, get reading and let's see what God has to say about it!   

'They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.'

Acts 2:42-43

Zooming along

We've heard it often said that 'The church is the people and not the building'. We might know it to be true but the church buildings have played an important part in our lives and communities. 'Being Church' without attending a church building is a new concept to many of us and it is lovely to see our congregations adapting and discovering new ways of being in fellowship with each other and worshipping together. I don't know many people who actually like change, however, we find ourselves having to work with what we have got. I'll be honest, before the lockdown, I had never heard of 'Zoom' and now it seems that the world has gone 'Zooming mad'! With having smaller congregations, Zoom seems to work well for us and one of the highlights of my week is watching everyone greet each other at the beginning of the Sunday service on Zoom... it does my heart good!  I'm pleased to say that more people are joining us on a Sunday and we now record it each week and upload it to YouTube.

One of the phrases that I hear a lot is...'when things get back to normal.' We don't know how long that will take or even if they will ever go back to the way they were. And maybe they shouldn't. We need to learn from this episode in history. Although an online church service isn't everyone's first choice of worship, there are people out there who will prefer to be part of an online congregation. For a start, you can be anonymous and still engage with what's going on. 

Those of us who are regular church-goers forget what it is like to step over the threshold of an unfamiliar church building for the first time.  Just imagine that you have never been to church before...You pluck up the courage to go...on your own...you don't know a soul there...you might get a few quizzical looks...then someone thrusts a bunch of books and papers into your hands. Then there's the problem of where to sit. The back row seems best but people have taken that! Then, there's always the chance that you'll sit in someone else's seat and be asked to move! (That's happened to me on several occasions). So, you find a seat and feel eyes burning into your back...The service begins. The vicar wears strange clothes.  Ermm...which book to use? You look around but don't get any clues there because people are reciting words without even looking! One minute you're standing, the next you're sitting...and then there's something called the peace...which is anything but! You look around to catch someone's eye...it's excruciatingly embarrassing, with people hugging and shaking hands around you...and they all seem to know each other. You might even feel invisible at that point! The final hymn comes round and you breathe a sigh of relief. Just the cuppa afterwards to get through...hopefully you won't have to stand on your own!! I jest a bit but there are people out there who only ever go to one service...why is that?

By the time our church buildings are open again for worship, we will be in the swing of worshipping online. We must take this time of lockdown to consider our ongoing Mission strategy and that, I believe, must include an online worshipping presence. You may groan a little at that suggestion but mission is so much more than going to a church building on a Sunday morning. It is about reaching out with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Everyone has a right to know how much God loves them and we can't sit back and hope that they'll just figure things out on their own. That is down to each one of us and the times that we are living through brings it home to us...like no other time!

'And he said to them,
“Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved;
but the one who does not believe will be condemned."

Mark 16:15-16

Their eyes were opened...

Well...today the sun has gone back behind the clouds and according to the weather forecast, it is due to stay there for quite a while. We shouldn't complain though because we have had some exceptionally warm and sunny days and my garden, for one, has benefitted enormously. I finally finished the path I was building. The vicarage garden, with the house being empty for so long,  was very overgrown and needs a lot of TLC! The leaves on the apple trees are a bit of a giveaway as to how long this has taken me. Every stone in the middle picture came from the garden itself (and there is a lot leftover!) and the mound of earth is not a grave(!) but what was dug out to make the path. It has been hard work but worth it.  My next garden project is to raise a bed to grow some herbs, afterall it would be a shame to waste all that lovely topsoil. The lack of a blazing sun will make the digging a bit more bearable ...photographs to follow in due course.

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Will the lack of sunshine change your routine? I had lunch in my study today instead of sitting in the garden. Sundays in lockdown, for me are a bit different. So, in the morning, the first thing I do is to prepare for the online service. This means moving the furniture around in my studio study to make a space so that I can be seen, and my laptop is precariously placed on top of a make-shift table at just the right height. The 'Communion Table' is brought in and erected and I make sure that I have all the right documents in place so that they are to hand at the right time. All of this, of course doesn't take into account the preparation that takes place before the service itself - pew sheets prepared and saved on the website, hymns (if used) to be ready to play (complete with speaker) and the words to be put onto a slide to share online; the same with the readings. There's readers, responders and intercessors to find and then of course, there's the sermon to write! Phew!

I must say that I am really loving the online services. They have taken a bit of getting used to and we are still learning as we go along. We discovered that music doesn't come across very well if played through the laptop, so this morning I played the music in my study and it seemed to work better. The words of the hymn was shared on screen and I could see people singing along. It is so good to see so many of you embracing the technology and worshipping God from your own homes.

This morning's gospel reading was one of my favourites. It was the walk on the road to Emmaus.
It is one of the final jigsaw pieces to be slotted into place as the story of God's redemptive purpose is revealed. It is about Jesus meeting us right where we are, even bang, smack in the middle of our anguish and pain...regardless of whether we recognise him or not.  He is there, with each one of us...holding us until we are ready to have our eyes and hearts open, ready to receive him fully. Then he feeds us...not with physical food but with himself...his love...his compassion...his strength...his forgiveness...

Luke tells us that it was at the moment when the disciple's eyes were open that Jesus vanished from their sight. It was the moment that the disciples, filled with joy went back out into the world to share the Good News!  Perhaps our time of lockdown is a time of being fed...of preparation, ready to re-enter the world with fresh eyes, renewed faith and a story to tell?

Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
and he disappeared from their sight.

Luke 24: 31

The thing that changes, is...

When I first moved away from the City of Leeds, the thing that struck me the most was the noise...or rather the lack of it! We had lived in the same house for 35 years. It was right next to a main road and the London main-line railway was just a stone's throw away.  At the time, I rarely noticed the noise. It was just there and something that we had always lived with. Maybe that's why I love silence? Over the past four years, I have become used to the quieter pace of the traffic and don't miss the hustle and bustle of city life. On the TV the other day, it was said that the traffic levels are down to what they would have been in the 1950s. It's certainly quieter in the street where we live and there's only a fraction of the people passing by. So although I had considered it quiet, compared to my city life, the coronavirus lockdown has slowed things right down.

View from my garden

The recent sunny weather has been a real gift to us and for the past couple of weeks, Chris and I have been eating our lunch in the garden. It has been lovely to sit in the sunshine, enjoying the peace, amidst the sounds of nature. We have sight of a huge tree from our garden and the crows have been nesting. They have been busy bringing food for their chicks and when the food arrives, the noise is deafening. I can hear the chicks as their cries grow louder as they grow. This is all new to us as we didn't get crows anywhere near our garden in Leeds! In fact we got very few birds, just sparrows, pigeons, magpies and maybe a blackbird or two. And if we saw a robin we were overjoyed!

We have been in lockdown now for five weeks, longer for those who self-isolated a week or so before. It has seemed like a long time and we don't know yet when things will ease. Some have find the lockdown no problem at all, others may have struggled. For many people, the lockdown is no different to normal. It is the way their life is and may have been for many years. Makes us think, doesn't it?

This slower pace of life sometimes forces us to sit down, take stock and notice some of the things going on around us that we might not have noticed before. Or we might have given something a go that we've never done before. I must admit that I am the sort of person that makes myself busy if I've nothing to do. The problem with that is that, in our busyness, we might miss out on what God has got in store for us as part of the lockdown. We all have new things to learn about God and about ourselves. Perhaps God wants to show us fresh things? Maybe even wants us to slow down and do things differently? I wonder what it is, in this change of pace, that God wants to say to us and to show us? The times that we are living through can't fail to change us in some way or to change our outlook on life...maybe the thing that changes is change itself!

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."Hebrew 13:8

The thought...or the doing?

I changed my routine this morning...so Morning Prayer over, a quick 10 mins on the exercise bike and followed by...a reluctant stint of ironing. I've decided...I don't like ironing! What does your ironing basket look like? My Mother-in-law used to love ironing. It was always tackled as it happened, no piling up in a basket or stashed away in a dark cupboard. No, she would iron everything; sheets, shirts, underwear and even socks. I know some people who go to the opposite extremes and don't iron a thing. I've tried to get away with it, folding things carefully when I hang them up to dry or folding instantly when I empty the tumble dryer. But I see the creases.  Funny, isn't it, that I don't see other people's creases? Not even on those who profess not to iron! Anyway, I needed a clergy shirt and they were all in the ironing basket and I'm pleased to say that they are all now crease-free and in the wardrobe.

Ironing is something that nowadays runs in the family as two of my sisters and my brother all have their own ironing shop busineses. I don't know how they do it, day in and day out...ironing. I only do it when I run out of shirts and couldn't imagine ironing everyday. It's strange really, because I enjoy most things and there is very little that I try to avoid.

There are, however, some things in life where the thought of it is worse than the actual doing. When I was studying, assignments were definitely one of those things. I worked out that I have spent 19 years of my adult life studying one subject or another. Having left school with no qualifications, I spent many happy years steadily going to night class. I loved the study and the discipline of the reading and research but the thought of the assignments, complete with the deadlines were daunting. I would do anything to avoid it...clean the bathroom, sort out my wardrobe, anything. But then it happened and I would begin. Every single time, it was better than I hoped, enjoyable even. I would always ask myself why didn't I start it sooner? Why did I leave it until the last minute? Why didn't I give myself the time to do more with it? Sound familiar? I don't know why we do things like that to ourselves. You know, give ourselves unnecessary stress...when really it is just the thought of it.

Is there anything in your life that you tend to put off? Or do you worry about things that might never happen? I've often wondered how those first 72 disciples must have felt about the prospect of being sent out after being told that they were 'being sent like lambs among wolves' and with 'no purse or beggar's bag or shoes' (Luke 10:3-4)  They did it though, they got through it and if we read further on in Luke's gospel we read that they 'came back with great joy' (v17) We are living through worrying times. Life isn't normal for us anymore. However, the time is coming soon when we will be able to leave the confines of our homes and venture back out into the big wide world and normality will resume...whatever normal will look like. The new 'normal' is currently the unknown to us. The very thought of it is probably much worse than the doing of it. A bit like my assignments.

Look at the birds of the air;
they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not of more value than they?
And can any of you by worrying
add a single hour to your span of life?

                                           Matthew 6:26-27  

No signal...no problem

I've had a bit of a job this morning! The postman delivered the new phone that I had ordered. You know what it's like when you order something online? They always try to sell you an 'add-on'... at a discounted price of course! This time they were offering a Wifi extender. The wifi in the vicarage is pretty hopeless, so I ordered one. I have tried everything to make it work...but the signal around the house is just too weak to detct my router.

The phone, on the other hand is great. It is one of those with two handsets and an answer machine and so much neater than the old ones. It also has room to store 1,000 contacts...how about that? I am still missing a lot of contact numbers of members of the congregation and am still working on compiling my list. Now I have the new phone, I going to make a concerted effort to put numbers into my phone rather than have a paper list...so much easier.

With God, communication is so much easier. He doesn't need any fancy gadgets to know who is calling, there's no signal failure or dropping calls. There's definitely no crackly phone lines and no language barrier when our voices take on a Dalek tone! There's also no calling plan where you have to time a call to get the best value. No...our God is on call 24/7. We can talk to him as long as we like and there are no penalties for going over our 'talktime' limit. Recently, as a church, we've been getting to grips with video calls. This is fantastic but what we've discovered is that you can only really make sense of a conversation if only one person talks at once. We've learnt that it works much better to unmute the person who needs to be heard. With God, there are no such rules.  The conversation is a two-way thing. We might not be able to hear verbally what God is saying but by listening, as well as talking, things often become much clearer to us.

Prayer is a powerful thing. The problem that many people have though is that we don't always get what we ask for and our prayers go unanswered. I believe that our prayers do get answered and that we are always listened to and always answered. They may not always be how we like or when we like but God will respond. He is there with us...every step of the way. He understands...he's been there! When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain in the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Gone was the barrier between us mere mortals and God. Jesus Christ had broken down that barrier. Jesus has lived life on earth, complete with everything that comes with it... poverty, disease, inequality...you name it...he's been there. That's why we can talk to him openly without any judgement...no special equipment needed.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus,
saw how he died, he said,
“Surely this man was the Son of God!”

Mark 15:37-39

It finally happened...

Well...it finally happened...! I did it...!  I moved the exercise bike from the garage into my study. So, this morning, staright after my Morning Prayer...I got on my bike! It's been a while. It needed a bit of a clean and some new batteries for the display to work and it now has its home in the corner of my study next to my bookshelves.  So all was good to go and it wasn't that bad! I think sometimes, the thought of doing something is worse than the actual doing. I'm easing myself in gently and only spent about 10 minutes cycling. Because the bike is next to my bookcase, I picked out a book at random and read for those 10 minutes. I could have stayed on longer as I was getting quite interested in the book (but I need to reserve my aching limbs for all the extra gardening that I'm doing at the moment).

I have three clergy friends, fairly recently retired, and each of them gave me bags full of books for me to look through, keep what I wanted and to donate the rest to people who might want them or to give to a charity bookshop. I love books and reading has been my passion from being a small child, so you can imagine...I was like a child in a sweetshop devouring all those wonderful books. I had piles of them that I could make good use of...but you know what it's like? I dip in and out of my books but don't often get the time to dedicate enough time for some serious reading. This morning, as I 'cycled along', I looked at all those wonderful books and thought what a fantastic opportunity it was for me to become re-acquainted with them. So, we'll see how it goes. I'll keep you posted!

Did you know that Jesus was an educated man? There he was 2000 years ago, the son of a carpenter who began his life as a refugee. Living under Roman rule in a small community out in the sticks and there he was, able to read and write. How do we know this? We are told the story in John 8 about the woman caught in adultery and about to be stoned and how those in authority were trying to trap him. And what does he do? He bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger. We're not told what he wrote in the ground but afterwards he stood up and said those immortal words '"Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone." Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. Wise words. It is so easy to to sit at home and condemn people for the decisions made, especially as we are living through such difficult times. I am so thankful that I don't have to make those huge decisions.

So often we speak without thinking, I know I do. I've lost count of the times when I have said something that I have later regretted because I hadn't given it enough thought. Being a 'reflector', I like to have time to think, pray and maybe even sleep on the bigger decisions and responses that I have to make. Sometimes I have to go away and read through something to straighten things out in my mind or to get the right answer. Maybe a daily 'cycle' will help?

Have a good day ...and stay safe.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

John 8:6-8

Peace be with you...

When I'm preparing a sermon, the first thing I do is read through the scripture (very helpful, I hear you say). This is normally several days before I put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). I need time to think and pray about it. More often than not, I know straight away what my focus will be but something happens when I start writing and the finished product is normally nothing like I had in mind.

I love scripture! It is powerful and can speak to us in so many different ways. Before I was ordained, I was a Reader and was the diocesan Reader Administrator (for the historic Ripon Diocese). As such, I would help to arrange a training weekend for the Readers-in-training. One of the exercises was that the trainees would all give a short sermon based on the same piece of scripture. I would get to sit on the panel to offer feedback (a bit like X-Factor) and the variety and diversity never ceased to amaze me...everyone's sermons were all so different, made different points and delivered in different styles.

Before each PCC meeting, in order to give some focus, I have introduced a short time of Biblical reflection. I simply select a short sentence or two from one of the Bible readings set for the day. This is done in a similar style to Lectio Divina. So, for example, someone will read the reading. We have a few minutes to think about a word or sentence that has resonated with us. Then we share that word or sentence with the person sitting next to us. Then the scripture is read again and reflected upon. We then share the word or sentence (which may or may not be the same as before), execpt this time we explain why it means something.

Yesterday's scripture reading was from John's Gospel (John 20:19-end). It was the one about Jesus appearing to the disciples when they were locked away. The one where at the first visit Thomas was missing and the second time he appeared is where Jesus showed Thomas his hands and his side and he then believed. When I first read the scripture before writing my sermon, the things that struck me were 1) Jesus' greeting on both occasions were 'Peace be with you' and 2) Jesus said 'blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.' Now, if you joined the online service yesterday, you will realise that neither of them featured very much in my sermon. However, at this time of confinement, I would like to dwell on them a little bit.

I imagine that the disciples were huddled away...lost, confused, scared and trying to figure out what to do next. Their friend Jesus had been killed and because of their friendship with him, they could well be next. A couple of them had seen an empty tomb and Mary Magdaline had been with a garbled message about Jesus ascending to God. No wonder they were confused, they must have been in great turmoil. Jesus appeared even though the door was closed. Not just closed but locked for fear of the Jews. Then Jesus was there with them, he just apperared... no keys needed or entry to be gained. And his first words..."Peace be with you". Just imagine the relief and peace that having Jesus with them must have brought? We know that the second time that Jesus appeared was when poor Thomas earned the name 'Doubting Thomas' and Jesus said "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

Well, it's over 2,000 years since that event took place and ever since then millions of people have come to believe without seeing for themselves. They might not have been in that locked room with the disciples but the peace of Christ contines to reach people wherever they are. All over the world, people are in rooms with closed and locked doors and that same peace of Christ is available to each one of us...we just have to believe...how blessed are we?

Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:19,29

Time flies...

They say time flies when you're having fun. Well... I don't know about having fun but I do know that the time seems to be 'flying by'.  I suspect that it is because I am so busy. Now, you're probably reading this and thinking 'how come?...the churches are closed, there's no church services to take, no baptisms or weddings to plan or conduct. There's no people I can visit in their homes...what exactly does a vicar do during a time of lockdown? A good question!

Well...my routine has had to change but I like to keep a bit of a structure to my day if I can, so I am always showered, dressed and in my study for 9am. I like to start with Morning Prayer and I have a great little app on my tablet which means that I don't have to look up the readings or juggle with books. Then I go through my emails...you wouldn't believe the mountain of emails that I receive every single day! Next, I start to write this blog (this isn't something that I plan in advance and the words normally come to me as I sit down to write but it can take me a little while). Once that is finished, it is normally round about lunchtime and I do take time out and spend an hour or so with Chris over lunch. (Chris is the cook in the house and he is the one who 'enables me to be enabled'). In the afternoon, I work at a slightly slower pace. It isn't quite as structured because it differs from day to day depending on what needs responding to or planning. I spend quite a bit of time on the telephone and far too much time on the computer. The afternoon is the time when I plan the funerals that I have, the Sunday service and write my sermons. I'm not really a 'To Do List' sort of person, so I prioritise as I go along. I like to fit a little walk in as well and if the weather is nice, then (depending on my workload) I might leave the study for a couple of hours and do some gardening. Phew! See what I mean about the time flying by?

What about you? How does your day pass by? Do you struggle to fill your day? One of the things that I try to avoid is...'Box Sets' on the TV...they are marvelous...and addictive! They are great for people who have a lot of time on their hands because they allow you to watch a complete series, episode after episode and you don't even have to record them. You finish one...and the next one starts automatically.  Before you know it, it is 3am!

The church services on the TV are also well-worth tuning into on a Sunday. So slick when compared to our little online services held in my study...but they are our little online services and our time of fellowship and praise to our God who loves each one of us beyond measure.

Don't forget that the joining details for the online service can be found on our A Church Near You website (just google: A Church Near, followed by your village name and you will find the details of the service in the 'Services and Events' tab). I have been working on making our weekly services a bit more inclusive and am now putting a Pew Sheet on our 'A Church Near You' website and this can also be foung on the ACNY webiste in the 'News and Notices' tab. It is available to view or download and will be updated each Friday. I also intend to print some off each week and deliver to those who are unable to join us online. Please let me know if you know someone who would like one delivered. I'm also looking for people who are willing to read or be an intercessor at the online service. If you would like to be on the rota. please let me know. 

Well, the morning has flown by and it's time for lunch. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26

Praise God...

I went food shopping the other day. I must admit that this isn't something that I do very often (Chris is our shopper!) but I was out for my exercise and thought I would pop into Booths and get a couple of things. Did I say pop in?... There was an orderly queue, safely distanced going all down the side of the carpark. I was there anyway, so I joined the queue. I was there for quite a while but quite enjoyed the experience as I had a good chat with the people around who were in earshot. The weather being dry, bright and sunny helped but I suspect that it might also have helped that I was wearing my clerical collar. I am in the habit of wearing my collar most days (under normal circumstances) but only wear it at the moment if I am taking a funeral that day. I do find that most of the time it encourages people to talk, or at least to say hello.

I miss the freedom of being out and about around town. It had become my habit, at least once a week, to eat breakfast in one of the cafes as it's a great opportunity to meet new people. I'm missing the routine of the church services and of course visiting people. In the meantime, I'm talking much more on the telephone, getting to grips with online worship and hopefully losing a bit of weight. Things could be a lot worse!

On the plus side, my emails are under control, my study is nice and tidy and the new website for St Alkelda's that I've been working on is coming along nicely. The path I've been building in the garden is nearly done (although I'm seeing stones in my sleep) and I'm now thinking about raising a small bedding area to grow herbs.

I'm also really thankful for the technology we have and we regularly catch up with our family on video calls. Things have come a long way...I remember way back in the 90s and selling the very first video phones (I used to work at the BT shop in Bradford). They were very expensive and the picture quality was poor and grainy. Nowadays, it is like being in the next room. And not only that but if we have Wifi, it doesn't cost us anything.

I have been really impressed with my congregations and how they are embracing technology. When we Zoom our church services and people's faces pop up on the screen, it really warms my heart. It may seem a little chaotic just before we begin our worship...that is fellowship. It is where we wave, smile and greet each other. Then we worship God. A cartoon is doing the rounds at the moment on Facebook - Satan is saying to God "With COVID-19, I closed your churches" and God's reply is "On the contrary, I just opened one in every home!". If you haven't tried worshipping online yet, do give it a go - if you're worried about being recorded or seen and heard , just stay on mute (we encourage people to be on mute during the worship time anyway) and don't activate the camera. That we you can still see and hear and engage with what's going on. How good is that?

I will bless the Lord at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and be glad.
 O magnify the Lord with me,    and let us exalt his name together.
Psalm 34:1-3

Team Tom...

Captain Tom! What a way to start the day, seeing Captain Tom live on TV completing the 100 laps of his garden in order to raise some funds for the NHS. In a very short time, Captain Tom has not only smashed his target of £1000 but has raised over £18 million … yes £18 million (update 17/4/20 - 09:00) ... breaking fund-raising records, he is fast-becoming a legend in the making around the world. Captain Tom will be 100 years old at the end of April and is a WWII veteran of the Yorkshire Regiment (who were there this morning to give Capt. Tom a guard of honour). What an inspiration he is. Not one for sitting back and taking his much-deserved praise, he had lots of words of wisdom to share with all those who are in isolation at home, perhaps alone, worried and frightened and he said "You are a tribute to everyone who is hemmed up in a small space - good for you!" He went on to say that "we will get through it and at the end of the day, we'll be ok and the sun will shine on you again".

There's a lot of Capt. Toms around. People whose outlook is positive. I like to think that I'm a cup half-full sort of person, what about you? I like a busy life, to have a purpose, with goals to attain and projects to complete (probably a legacy of my training background). I must admit that sometimes I get a bit giddy and carried away with my enthusiasm. When I was in employment as a trainer, we would often come up with ideas by using the 'Disney' style of brainstorming. So, we would come up with creative ideas, including the weird and the wonderful. This was the 'Dreamer' stage and any idea was welcomed. There is a 'Realist' stage where the practical possibilities narrow down the ideas. Then there is the 'Critic' stage where the yeahs and the neys take place, leaving the things that can be worked on and achieved.

Personally, I am taking value from my enforced time at home. It is great 'thinking' time, praying time and reading time! This pandemic undoubtedely will change many things in our lives for good (and perhaps for the not so good). Church is one of the things that will change as a result. We are discovering new ways of being Church. Our online efforts of worshipping online are getting better. Love it or hate it, there is no denying that there is an appetite for taking Christ into homes via social media and people who would never venture into church are now feeling part of the Body of Christ. We all know that you don't have to go to church to be a Christian!

We don't really know what Church is going to look like when the church buildings are once again allowed to be open. The physical/social distancing is going to take a long time to over-come and I wonder how long it will take to get back to sharing hugs at 'The Peace', or even a handshake? Will people come back to church? Will they be afraid of gathering as a congregation? Perhaps they will come to church in droves? We just don't know! What I do know is that still being fairly new in my role as Priest-in-Charge and left to my own devices in the confines of the vicarage, my vivid imagination for the future of our parishes is stuck in the 'Disney Dream' stage!! One of the things that I'm really looking forward to is gathering a team around me to look at the real possibilities for the Vision of our parishes and coming up with a strategy of outreach and mission.  I could do with a few Capt. Toms on my team - are you a Capt. Tom?

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, 

but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 

For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body

—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—

and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 

Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

1 Corinthians 12: 12-13

On the right path...

With all the lovely weather that we've been having recently, I've become much more acquainted with the challenges of the vicarage garden! It didn't take me long to realise that underneath the 'jungle' were stones...thousands of them. So, in my enthusiasm for my newly-found green fingers, I decided to build a path and use the stones as the hard-core. Seemed like a good idea at the time! A week or so later and with some hard work and determination, the path is really taking shape and I feel like 'I'm getting there'...so watch this space!

You may recall that I previously gave a brief mention (3 April) that I have a fabulous little app on my mobile phone. You take a photograph of a plant, it's leaves or flower and hey presto, it not only tells you what it is but it tells you how to tend it, how big it grows and some interesting facts.  The garden has really come to life and shoots are sprining up everywhere. I noticed some unusual leaves in what used to be a garden pond. Turns out it is an Orange daylily. My little app tells me that it is widely known as "Forget Sadness Grass" meaning that you will forget all unpleasant things. Isn't that a lovely thought, especially at this time when we could really do with an injection of comfort.

We don't all have gardens and many of us who do may not enjoy gardening. Being confined to home probably means that we're watching a lot more TV than normal, especially the news to catch up on the latest coronavirus happening around the world. Its depressing stuff and we're bombarded with heart-breaking stories which are resonating hugely with our own lives and situations. The temptation is to switch off the news, tune the TV to another channel or switch it off altogether. The problem with that is that it doesn't change anything, other than giving us some short-lived respite from seeing the suffering of others. Sadly, the world is not all sunshine and light and bad things happen. They always have and they always will.

Being followers of Christ doesn't make us immune to what goes on but it does give us the strength, the comfort and the peace to deal with things. It is at times like these that people look to us to see how we are coping...does our faith in God actually helps us?...could there be any truth in what we believe?...

Religion is a funny thing. We don't have any proof or concrete evidence to back up our beliefs. But we have our faith in God and we draw strength from Him, knowing that he is in the midst of this crisis with us. We've just come through the darkness of Holy Week and then experienced the light and joy of Christ's Resurrection at Easter. This brings us hope in the midst of the messiness of life. Jesus' death and resurrection gives us a new determination to travel the path of faith, to stick with it regardless of the challenges and hurdles. This great gift is just too good to keep to ourselves....

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 

who comforts us in all our troubles, 

so that we can comfort those in any trouble 

with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Lost and found...

I been having a few problems with my telephone (landline) recently. A line test showed no problem, which meant that it had to be the equipment inside. Its not a good time to go shopping, so a new phone will have to wait. However, when we moved house we brought with us lots of wires and sockets, just in case 'they might come in'! So, this morning I went into the garage for a rummage. It took me ages to find the phone socket that I was looking for but I came across lots of other things that I thought I had lost. It's amazing isn't it, the things that we hoard away, thinking that one day they will come in really useful? Now and again, we actually get to put something to good use and it gives us that 'feel good factor'. We could do with a bit of 'feel good factor' right now.

I've lost count of the number of times in my life I have yearned for 'the feel-good factor' of a break from the routine of work. You might know what I mean...time to enjoy my home, without the pressures of deadlines...days when I can wake up naturally and have a leisurely shower instead of diving out of bed at what seems like the crack of dawn...of avoiding the traffic jams on the way to the office and just praying for a parking space when you get there...time to spend doing things I enjoy doing but rarely get the time...time to just 'do nothing'...

We should be careful what we wish for! This being at home lark isn't all it's cracked up to be, is it? Its ok for a couple of week when it is classed as annual leave but the novelty soon wears off when we have no choice in the matter. However, we need to make the effort to stay positive and cheeful because we have so much to be thankful for. The binmen have just emptied our bins, our toilets are still flushing, the water from our taps is still clean, the power supply still works and there's plenty of food on the shelves in our open shops. We'll be going out for our daily walk a bit later but for now, I'm going to be making a few phone calls...

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one.
Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house
and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it,
she calls her friends and neighbors together and says,
‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you,
there is rejoicing in the presence of
the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:8-10

What will the neighbours think?

What I have observed in my short few months here, is that Settle is a vibrant, busy little town where community involvement is integral to making it the special place that it is. There is an active Churches Together group, known locally as CTiSaD (Churches Together in Settle and District). I was very much looking forward to experiencing (and being part of ) the many activities planned for Lent and Easter, especially the Passion Play on Good Friday and the Dawn Service on Easter morning in Millennium Gardens. Well, it wasn't meant to be this year...the Covid pandemic made sure of that. However, not to be phased, it was decided that although the Passion Play was a bit out of our reach, we would go ahead with the Dawn Service. But it had to be a Dawn Service with a difference.

The Chair of CTiSaD, Rev Stephen Dawson, led the service from his garden. It was an Iona service, with a short dramatic reading. The powers of the internet meant that the parts were played by people across the district from their own homes and gardens. I had set my laptop up in my front garden so that I was outside with views looking across the hills to the west (and also visible on the street outside my house)! I felt very privileged to have the part of Jesus (sprung on me at the last minute). But I did my best and dramatically spoke as loudly and clearly as I could, so that people would hear me via the internet links. I thought it all worked really well and it was a great start to Easter morning, so thank you to everyone for making the effort and joining in.

Chris, my husband was fast asleep in bed when I had crept downstairs to join the Dawn Service. When it was over and Chris finally surfaced, he asked what had been going on outside. Apparently I had woken him up by shouting in the street... things like "Ahoy! Have you got any fish?" and "Peter, do you love me more than anyone else!" I don't know what the neighbours must have thought but I have been chuckling about it ever since!

Being an introvert, I must admit that I'm not very good at being 'forward' and I'm conscious that I'm not an ideal candidate when it comes to Christian witness! Hearing the Gospel reading for Easter Sunday does my heart good. I wonder why Jesus chose Mary?  For a start, she was a woman...and a woman with a bit of a dubious reputation, at that!  She would never be fully regarded as an equal by the people of her day.  Yes, she was definitely poor witness material and yet God chose her to take the most important message the world has ever known back to the disciples. Just imagine being the one that Jesus called by name and being told to tell people that He was risen from the dead...just imagine...well...GUESS WHAT?

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news:
“I have seen the Lord!”
And she told them that he had said these things to her.

John 20:18

The sound of silence...

Today it's one of those days! It is Holy Saturday...an in between day...a day of waiting... when 'not much happens! From a faith point of view, it is the way that it is meant to be. We've just experienced the darkest day in the Church Calendar...Good Friday and, quite rightly, it leaves us stunned into silence...lost for words. Today is a day of quiet contemplation but...isn't today a holiday weekend? It is indeed.

Holiday weekends conjure up thoughts of days out, weekends away, sunny weather, fun times, family gatherings, meeting up with fiends, good food... traffic jams, crowds, noise, effort, expense...

This year is different to other years and that's down to...yes, you've guessed it...CORONAVIRUS! If you're abiding by all the guidelines, the holiday weekend this year will be spent much like our other days... confined to our homes. I wonder whether you've slipped into a comfortable routine or feeling content with life in isolation. I guess there's lots of people out there who are really struggling, with only the TV or radio for company. Personally, I am a fan of silence and contemplation. There is something about tuning in to the sounds around us and finding God there.

Quiet contemplation, reflection, meditation...call it what you want. It might be something that you've never tried before. Perhaps you've been too busy in the past to find the time to just sit and 'do nothing'? Maybe this Holy Saturday is your ideal opportunity to give it a go? There's no planning involved, no special equipment needed. It doesn't have to be in a sacred place or at a time of prayer. You don't even need to be particularly religious. It can be at any time and anywhere...to just sit, without any disturbances...and listen... no words needed...just you and God!

Go on … give it a go!

“Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10