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?
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
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