Minister's Letter - February 2021

Dear Friends,

Winter is here, frost lies on the ground, branches are white, it does look beautiful, yet the frost soon disappears, and everything is green again. Signs of Spring are also appearing, the bulbs in my pots are poking their heads up and I have seen daffodils at least 15cm tall.

For me, this year the cycle of the seasons, disrupted though it is by climate change, seems more important. In a time of uncertainty when planning is difficult it roots us in the creative cycle, resting, growth, flowering and reminds us of the permanence of creation and the world.

We can look ahead, we don’t know what the coming year will hold, how long restrictions will be in place, throughout all this bulbs, trees and flowers will continue to grow and give us beauty and colour.

Despite the uncertainty we can dream, reflect, think, and pray about what God’s will and purpose is for us as individuals and as fellowships. A period of inactivity in the building, forced by lockdown, enables us to think about using the building and worship space in different ways in the future, maybe starting new activities/groups as we seek to walk the way of Jesus, living the life of Christ today. Worshipping on Zoom, although not ideal, gives us different orders of service, new thoughts about interacting and participation. I’m sure you have other dreams/thoughts/ideas about this and other aspects of church life, please do you share your dreams/thoughts/ideas with me and/or your elder.

I am looking forward to my induction on February 14th although I have now been here for nearly 6 months it will mark new beginnings for us all. Thank you to all those assisting with the preparations and technical matters.

A friend sent me the following which I share with you:
The richest wealth is Wisdom.
The strongest weapon is Patience,
The best security is Faith.
And the most effective tonic is Laughter.

​May God bless you today with all of them. Alison