Loyal radical

RACHEL'S WELCOME On Tuesday 23 August we had a very joyful and uplifting welcome to our new Superintendent minister, Rachel Borgars. The District Chair, Andrew Wood, gave the address reflecting on the two passages that had been read earlier. The one from Isaiah 61 reminds us of Jesus’ own mission statement which he declared at the synagogue in Nazareth. This was to preach good news, proclaim deliverance, release the oppressed and give recovery of sight to the blind. The other reading was from Acts 2 when the people responded to the coming of the Spirit and formed the first Christian community. Both readings include an invitation to action. The good news of God’s love does not generate a passive response, it requires action. Of course we have to be careful that we don’t just busy ourselves and thus feel we are fulfilling our purpose as Christian disciples. Busyness is sometimes an excuse for not getting on with the important things in life. Rachel reflected on her Quaker upbringi

Light and dark are favourite metaphors for the Christian faith because they vividly illustrate the contrast between good and evil, faith and unbelief. Sight is fundamental to our understanding of the world, which is why we often talk about understanding in visual terms ‘I see‘, can mean I comprehend. I watched a programme this week about the brain and how it functions. It is amazing to consider the complexity and inter-relatedness of our brains. After neurological damage the brain is able to adapt so that different parts take up the function of the damaged area. They also showed how the brain can be trained to decode messages from unfamiliar stimulation. Training our senses to become more aware is part of the ongoing process of learning. This is no less true about our spiritual journey. Fasting is one such method some people use to tune into the experience of life. This discipline can help in raising spiritual awareness. The forty days in the wilderness were Christ’s training