Spring into Easter

The picture opposite is of a colourful display of spring crocuses from a friends garden. Early spring flowers are such a treat after the drabness of winter. They lift our spirits and encourage optimism. A similar transformation takes place as we move through Holy Week. The darkness of betrayal, denial and death are replaced on Easter Day with excitement , wonder and joy. These contrasts in life are very important and are necessary to help us appreciate the depth of sorrow and the height of joy. As I write this we are all reeling from the sadness of the recent plane crash with 150 lives lost. The media is quick to give us the personal stories of both loss and narrow escape. The school mourning the death of sixteen pupils and two teachers returning from an oversubscribed exchange is just one of the many that touches us with great sorrow and pain.
The gift of human empathy is a precious response to such news and should never be underrated or dismissed as mere thankfulness that it was not one of our loved ones. Empathy engages our heart at a deep level and gives us the ability to try to see something from another’s perspective as if we were in their shoes. The Easter message is one of hope even in the darkness and so our prayer for all who suffer is that faith in the one who has gone to the depths for us will bring hope to all.  
www.steveontheweb.blogspot.co.uk

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Taylor talks (and writes)

I found the post on Steve Taylor’s website on 18th April very helpful today. It reminded me of a remark that Martin Atkins made at the beginning of the MEC 1 lecture last October. When being thanked for coming to give the lecture he dismissed the thanks saying that to do so was cathartic for him. At the time I didn’t understand what he meant by that remark, but thinking about it now in the light of Taylor’s blog I think I see what he means - you can only take in if you are also giving out. I have struggled with this year out of ministry, because I have not found an outlet (other than writing assignments!) for all that I am learning through it. I have preached once in 10 months, through my own choice, because I needed to stand back in order to evaluate. I have also been thinking that preaching is a non-productive environment in which to communicate. It is so easy for those who listen to disengage – a habit that I have found myself falling into during my 10 months of pew-sitting . Perha...
Read more

Chronos and Kairos

Don't normally refer to Greek in sermons, but I made an exception this Sunday. Tom Stuckey's book, commented on in my last blog, has a really helpful distinction between these two Greek words. Used it as the base for a chapel anniversary service here at Wirksworth on Sunday evening. You can see the power point presentation to go with the sermon based on Acts 10. If you want to download it click here . The church is at a kairos moment as it emerges from Christendom, facing highly vocal sceptics like Richard Dawkins, yet there is a hunger for meaning in a world full of superficiality. May God give us the wisdom and hope to use this moment.
Read more

Statistics for Mission

At the Methodist Conference in a couple of weeks time there will be a debate around the Statistics for Mission report, which looks at returns churches have made with regard to activity associated with their congregation. find the report here These statistics are then compared over a ten year period to examine trends and on an annual basis to see how things have changed over the year. The report makes for uncomfortable reading. The reason I refer to the report is the way it reflects what is happening at my local Methodist church. I should add that I do not have pastoral charge of the congregation as I have full-time responsibilities as a hospital Chaplain. However, I am committed to its future as it seeks to serve God in this village. Overton is a chapel built 177 years ago with a current worshipping congregation between 18 and 25 adults, of which up to 5 are under 60. A new family came to the village last September and have started worshipping at the chapel with their 5 year old daug...
Read more