Dear Friends

A couple of days ago the health centre next door sent me a text with an accompanying offer.To my great horror I discovered that as a result of my age, I am now eligible to receive a free flu vaccination. If I’m honest, I’m still debating as to whether to take the offer up or not, but I can’t deny that it came as a shock to realise that in everyone else’s eyes, I am now not only grown up, but growing old! 

The theme on ageing was touched upon in a conversation I shared with an (even older!) spiritual guide of mine this morning. Identifying that I was showing signs of fatigue (again a trait I reluctantly own up to, accepting that I do not possess all the energy that I once did), he asked me what I felt God’s current invitation was to me. Usually I find those sort of questions quite difficult to respond to, but the words ”it’s OK to rest once in a while” came to me. Imagine then my surprise as when scanning through the set readings for the church today in the hope of inspiration for these musings,  I came across these verses from Matthew 11;  

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Yes God – you have my attention, was my first thought, together with awe as to how in my experience, He goes out of His way to ensure that we are able to hear Him when it’s necessary. And, I don’t believe these words are for me alone. I’m all too aware of how wearied a number of us are; wearied both by the restrictions that we are operating under, and wearied by the energies spent in trying to overcome or work a way around them. Following the lead of God, perhaps then, we need to be first and foremost a good friend to ourselves, whilst taking heed of the various gentle invitations that God extends to each one of us individually
 
As we watch and we wait for (and I pray ultimately respond to) the invitation of God, 

Keep safeKeep in touch
Keep the faith.
Simon

Hi Everyone,

It's Advent, lockdown is over (ish!) and a Covid vaccine is on the way. Hope springs eternal! Yet for so many people this season is immensely difficult and the good news comes too late for them as jobs are threatened, businesses collapse and loved ones are no longer with us. 

Advent is a really apt season right now because it combines perfectly the sense of lament and hope. We lament that the world is not what it should be but we look forward, not only to Christmas but to the return of Jesus when all things will be made right. When we sing the famous Advent hymn, O Come O Come Emmanuel, we are not just entering into the Christmas story but our hearts cry out once more for Jesus to hasten his return. This isn't just a pie in the sky, wishing on a star kind of hope but this is a real hope in the God who is present with us, who is good, who loves the whole of his creation and who always keeps his promises. 

However this Advent is for you, I offer to you this resource of daily reflection videos. A new video is released each day which is about 2 minutes long with a longer video each Sunday (approximately 8 mins). I encourage you to watch the first video in particular as it comes from Manchester.

It is not easy at the moment, but know that you are loved and held in prayer. If you are in particular need at this time, please let us know, we are listening and want to help if we can. 

With love

Jess

Dear Friends

Well, as you can see - I finally managed to submit a photograph that was clear enough and looked like me (perhaps previously I had triggered the excessive facial hair monitor!). So I now possess a new passport, though the new colour and the omission on the cover of the words “European Union” serve as a sad reminder of a further change regarding Brexit and the trade and travel borders that lie shortly ahead.

But as many people's focus is now towards the future, with a potential ease of certain restrictions, I fear there may continue to be winners and losers. On the theme of travel, apparently if you have the money to purchase your own Covid test after travelling, you can limit the time you are required to quarantine. Indeed travel has always been an indicator of what added wealth can buy you; from plush travel lounges to being fast tracked through check-in and customs, it’s amazing the privileges that can be bought by paying a bit extra - winners and losers.  And just today, it’s been announced that the vast majority of the public sector will have to endure a pay freeze, and whilst it’s clear that employment prospects in the private sector have taken a bit of a beating too, the shareholders of on-line companies, and supermarkets too, (not to mention the procurers and manufacturers of over priced and yet substandard PPE) have never had it so good, and there are no proposals to further tax their gains made in the midst of this crisis; winners and losers. We can only hope that when it comes to the future, and the prospect of distributing and receiving the much awaited vaccine, that, principles of justice i.e. 'who needs it', rather than 'who can most afford it', is the underlying principal behind the rolled-out scheme. But time will tell.

In the meantime, within the Christian calendar our focus moves towards the season of Advent, a time for hope as we reflect on the "word made flesh”. Hope found, both in God’s commitment to the world as demonstrated in the first coming of Jesus, together with hope in the real and true justice that will be experienced in his glorious return, when perhaps previous ideas concerning who is a winner and who is a loser, may well be turned upside down!

As we watch and we wait

Keep safe
Keep in touch
Keep the faith.
Simon

P.S. apologies to anyone who tried to access Zoom morning prayer this morning. Normal service (…well as much as Zoom is ever normal!) will be returned next week!

Hi Everyone,

I was initially want to say something today about Helen's excellent sermon on the image of the church as crazy paving but watching the news at lunchtime made me rethink what I wanted to say. No, I haven't changed my mind on Helen's sermon – I still think it was excellent but I was struck by an item speaking about the hidden pandemic of loneliness.

I suspect that most of us from time to time have had to deal with loneliness and for some of us this is a chronic condition made worse by the pandemic. The rescuer within me wants to make this right for everyone and yet this is impossible. It also isn't the right thing to do. If our reflections on church have taught us anything so far it is that we are equally valued and equally needed. My going out on my own on a one woman mission to save the world from loneliness is unlikely to be effective and is not what God calls us too either.

I am not the church, we are the church.

We are the people of God who are sent out to bless and to declare God's good news in the world. Just like the crazy paving, we are all different shapes and sizes and gifted in unique ways yet when we all join together we create something beautiful that leads to people to the very throne of God. 

Loneliness and isolation are killers. One person cannot overcome them alone and yet together, as the church we can make a huge difference when we look beyond ourselves and to the needs of those around us. It takes all of us bringing that little bit of light and hope where we are.

How you can be a blessing right now:

• Smile at people when you go out.
• Chat to the person at the till when you pop to the shop.
• Check that the person sat alone on the bench or on a wall is okay.
• Notice who you haven't seen around for a while and give them a call or send them a text.
• Do some baking and deliver it to your neighbours or to people at work or to staff at school.
• Set up or join a WhatsApp group with your neighbours. 
• Send Christmas cards to everyone on your street (making sure you put your name and your house number)

What to do if you are feeling lonely right now:

• Let someone know!!
• Join an online group (Women's footprints, Book Club, Over 50's, Wednesday Morning Prayer, Fellowship group or one of the many in the wider community)
• Pick up the phone and call someone (make the first move)
• Invite someone out for a walk (we are still allowed to meet with one person)

Being church is all about connecting so why not make take the opportunity to connect today?

With love

Jess

Dear Friends

Whilst typing, I am also settling down to catch the final of the IPL cricket tournament which finishes today on November 10th. Whilst not taking place in the setting shown above, it it nevertheless both out of season, and being hosted not in the atmospheric grounds situated around India, but in a sterile and empty stadium in Dubai. It is different, but reassuringly the same and currently the Mumbai Indians look like winning once again! 

In a similar way, in this continued rollercoaster of changing restrictions and new opportunities, we are all having to re-invent the way we do certain things, with some activities taking place in unusual surroundings, and at different times. So for example, over the years I’ve developed a bit of an seasonal pattern concerning my responsibilities as tutor for Westcott House, with the summer period being particularly busy with student placements up here, and down time happening at this time of year. However this time round it’s been very different with no students physically up present with me since before Easter. However the use of Zoom has ensured that I’ve recently been in touch with the community in Cambridge a lot more, by teaching and preaching in what would have been a quieter part of the year. 

I wonder how such uncertainty has impacted our respective spiritual lives (which also might pass through a variety of seasons each year)? I for one find praying a lot easier when in the company of others, but this has proved a challenge in these present times. Give thanks once again then for the wonders of technology. As well as connecting us in the presence of God each Sunday, we’ve decided to re-introduce midweek prayer through Zoom, sharing together a simple set of prayers and sentences, with space to reflect together on a passage from scripture. If you are able to, do consider joining Jess, myself and others tomorrow (Wednesday morning @ 10am), as we break up a long week between Sundays, and meet up together half way to pray. (Meeting ID: 868 4973 6045. Passcode: 457235).
Yes, it’ll be different, but as it is the same God that we encounter, it will also be reassuringly the same.

Keep safe
Keep in touch
Keep the faith
​
Simon