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30th June, 2024
Dear Friends,
It’s all about New Beginnings!
A few weeks ago we celebrated Pentecost – the new beginning for the Christian Church when the promised Holy Spirit came to live within those first Christians.
We announced the new beginning for our Benefice with Larissa coming to join us, and we now know that her official induction will be a service on 3rd October (more information as soon as we have it!).
By the time you read this, we will also be getting ready to vote ……. for a new Government (of whatever colour or colours!)
New beginnings always provoke a mix of reactions, some positive and some negative. It’s natural. But for Christians, new beginnings need to provoke 2 further reactions. Firstly – and primarily – to pray.
Paul was very clear in his view of the importance of prayer. Here’s 2 examples. When writing to encourage the the young Christians in Thessalonica in their daily living, he simply says this “Pray continually” (1 Thess 5.17) in other words, let talking and listening to God be the fulcrum around which our lives revolve. And in the coming days, that will include praying for Larissa and her family – as well as ourselves – as she prepares to take up leadership in the Benefice. Also, when Paul writes to his protégé Timothy about leading a church he says this “ I urge that prayers be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority – that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Tim 2.2) – not necessarily a straightforward request as we approach a General Election in which the Leader of 1 of the main parties is a Hindu and the other is an Atheist! Pray we must.
But Paul has another word to say in relation to new beginnings. It’s this. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit”(Gal 5.25). Like society around us, a Church fellowship is a living organism, not a static object. Unlike our current society, however, a fellowship evolves under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which brings us back to prayer and hearing Gods leading as we attune ourselves to His voice.
May that be our hearts desire in the days and months ahead.
Cliff Dumbell,
Lay Leader
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