What will be behind the doors in the approach to Christmas - beauty products, perfume, booze, toys, chocolates, or even cheese?

From the early nineteenth century German Protestant Christians counted down to Christmas rather more simply, by marking 24 chalk lines on a door or wall and rubbing one off each day in December. It is widely held that Gerhard Lang, a German printer, produced the first printed Advent calendar in 1908. He is said to have got the idea from a tradition in his childhood, where his mother attached 24 little biscuits to cardboard squares to help him mark off the days in Advent.

Advent calendars featuring chocolate were first made in 1958 but, surprisingly, did not catch on immediately. It was not until the 1980s that their popularity increased. These days, along with luxury Advent Calendars, traditional ones, religious ones and eco-friendly ones (no glitter), there is a ‘Real Advent Calendar’ (with fair trade chocolate) designed to tell the Christmas story to youngsters.

No one is sure when Advent was first celebrated, but it dates back to at least 567 when monks were ordered to fast during December in the lead up to Christmas.
No luxury treats for them!

In churches Advent starts on the Sunday nearest the feast day of St. Andrew (November 30). This year it begins on 27th November. Advent only starts on 1st December when Christmas Day is on a Wednesday.

Christians use the four Sundays and days of Advent to prepare and remember the real meaning of Christmas. Advent means 'coming' in Latin. This is the coming of Jesus into the world.

The first coming many people know about, the third most people don’t like to think about! This Advent, with so much chaos in the world, perhaps we should concentrate on the second meaning - the coming of Jesus into our everyday lives. God, in Christian belief, is everywhere. He is close at hand, present in life and in work, not just in extraordinary ways.

How can we be alert to his presence? Perhaps by finding time to notice and thank God for the little joys in our lives, the small ways he blesses us every day; or by being more aware of God’s creation, whether walking in woodlands or caring for a houseplant on the windowsill. The peace and love of Jesus can be experienced through other people, sometimes the most unexpected people.

If we allow yourselves moments of stillness throughout Advent, taking the time to be aware of God’s presence, we will discover that he can be found even in the most surprising places.

Jeremy Hunt announces that what is needed for growth is confidence and stability. Which makes a lot of sense, whether we are thinking about growth of the economy or personal growth. But on every front we seem to be surrounded by uncertainty. Uncertainty undermines our confidence. It makes it difficult for us to predict how things will go, and raises our anxieties about whether we will be able to manage in the future. We may start to question whether we will be able to look after our physical, mental and social wellbeing, and that of our families. The more uncertain we are about the answer to that question, the more stressed we are likely to become.

Admittedly here in the UK, even with the economic crisis, we are not having to face anything like the challenges of those in Ukraine or Pakistan or Somalia – or many other parts of the world. But none the less, whether it is worry about how to make ends meet and how to stay warm, or how things will go in a new job, or whether you will be able to find the right school for your child, or worry about an older relative, or wondering when a hospital appointment will come through – or several of these all at once – so many people seem to be heavily burdened with uncertainty. And it takes its toll. When the uncertainty and stress pile up too much, we are more likely to become depressed and anxious, our thinking may be affected, our blood pressure may start to rise and we may find our physical health being affected.

Many people think the area around the Chernobyl nuclear plant is a place of post-apocalyptic desolation. But more than 30 years after one of the facility’s reactors exploded, sparking the worst nuclear accident in human history, science tells us something very different. Researchers have found the land surrounding the plant, which has been largely off limits to humans for three decades, has become a haven for wildlife, with lynx, bison, deer and other animals roaming through thick forests. This so-called Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), which covers 2,800 square km of northern Ukraine, now represents the third-largest nature reserve in mainland Europe and has become an iconic – if accidental – experiment in rewilding. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/how-chernobyl-has-become-unexpected-haven-wildlife

There is lots of good advice online. For example, check out the section on dealing with uncertainty at www.helpguide.org – advice about good diet and exercise, about challenging unhelpful thinking patterns, and meditation. But one of the things I find most helpful is looking to the things that are bigger than me, more stable and more permanent.

Look to the natural world – there is nothing like standing on a mountain top to remind us that we are but a small part of the cosmos. The seasons come and go, regardless of what we humans are up to. And even when we have turned the planet into somewhere that will no longer support human life, I am encouraged by the return of plants and wildlife to Chenobyl to suspect that nature will spring back.

Look to our church buildings – most of them have been here for over 800 years. Congregations have grown and dwindled and grown again, communities have changed, personalities have come and gone, church wardens and ministers have come and gone, but the buildings are still there, pointing us towards God here in the midst of us.

And look to God – God who is broader and deeper and more permanent than anything our brains can imagine, who is broader and deeper than time and space itself. God, who knows us and cares for us, each of us. In psalm 62:2, the psalmist writes ‘God alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold, so that I shall never be shaken’

I wonder what the things are that help to ground you in the midst of all the uncertainty? Take the time to ponder them, whatever they may be, and feel some of that stress ebb away.

We went back to South Africa for a short holiday this summer and we had a really good time with my family there. Unfortunately, I managed to catch Covid for the first time just before we went and it was touch and go as to whether I would be ok to travel, but thankfully I got my negative test on the morning of our flight.

Our holiday began by spending the weekend at my older brother’s house. He had invited some old neighbours for lunch on the Saturday. I hadn’t seen them in over 20 years, but it was as if we just picked up where we had left off! Then on Sunday we went to a family gathering for my dad’s cousin’s 80th Birthday party. There I saw second and third cousins that I hadn’t seen for well over 35 years – and it was as if we just picked up where we left off once again.

Five days in a game park followed with my parents. That was quality time – my parents were supposed to come to the UK in 2020 but Covid put a stop to that and now they are both too frail to travel. The game park is one of our favourite places – you have to drive around searching for animals and it is purely the luck of the draw, and your skill at spotting shapes and colours in the bushveld, that makes a successful game drive. The roads have deteriorated since we were last there, but we were able to visit our favourite haunts. Five days was too brief, and it was time to bid the animals goodbye!

On the final Saturday of our holiday we had a pre-birthday party for my nephew and mum (celebrating 18 years and 80 years), and had the chance to catch up with more family who we last saw over 7 years ago. So, much of our holiday was spent catching up with family and friends – isn’t it amazing how time might have passed but the relationships formed have lasted. I’m sure you too have friendships that are just the same. Two days later it was time to say goodbye. That is never easy when you know that it might be the last time you see someone. I try to jump in the car and drive away as quickly as possible.

Relationships are at the very heart of our faith – at the heart of The Holy Trinity, our relationship with God and our relationships with one another. The opportunity to be together, to grow together and learn together in community is God’s blessing to us. We need not be alone ever.

Saying goodbye to the Shelswell Benefice has to be easier that that! Especially since we are only moving down the road towards Milton Keynes… I will be licensed on the 26th October in the 5 Parishes Benefice which includes Mursley (where we will live), Swanbourne, Little Horwood, Drayton Parslow and Newton Longville. I will still be in the Diocese of Oxford, although back in Buckinghamshire Archdeaconry.

It has been a real privilege to serve my Curacy here in the Shelswell Benefice. Everyone has been very welcoming and I have learnt a lot from all of you and especially from Alice and the Ministry team. The pandemic put a slight spanner in the works, but there has still been so much to enjoy and get involved in. We have loved village life. I have loved being amongst the farms and watching the year progress through the real time visual aids of the sowing, growing and harvesting of the crops. Please do pray for us as we move and settle into our new home and community and especially for me as I grow into my new role. We will miss everyone very much, but hopefully we will have visitors to Mursley and you may well see me in Matilda’s Coffee shop on a day off!

While on holiday in West Sussex, I went to the local church on the Sunday, St Mary’s, Storrington. I attended the 8.00am service, rather than later one, as we had arranged to meet some friends at 11.00am. It was a service of Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer [BCP], the order of service followed by the Church of England throughout my childhood, much of it therefore committed to memory.

The church was well looked after, clean and tidy, the books and notice sheets laid out ready for the first congregation of the day. It was cool and peaceful inside. As people entered, they sat quietly, waiting for the celebrant to start the service. Once it began, the words of the liturgy, so comfortingly familiar, slipped through my mind and it was easy not to think much about what they were saying. So when the time came for the two extracts from the New Testament to be read – one from a letter written by St Paul, and the other from one of the Gospels – I was jolted into paying more attention. The BCP sets out what readings are to be used for every Sunday of the year and for this particular Sunday, the Ninth after Trinity, the Gospel reading is Mark, Chapter 16, verses 1 to 9. As I listened, I realised that I had no idea what it was about. I couldn’t even recall having heard this reading before. There was no sermon, so no possible explanation was forthcoming. I can do something about this when I get home; there are books and online resources that I can consult. But it set me thinking – do people attending church take the readings on board? Do they wonder what they mean? Do they get some explanation? Or do they leave none the wiser, and anyway don’t particularly care?

How many people ever learn more about their faith, and what the Bible teaches, than the lessons they received in Sunday School (if attended), or when they were prepared for Confirmation? Yes, there are sermons on a Sunday, but these will largely be limited in scope. In the book ‘Proverbs’ the author writes “The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” [Chapter 4, verse 7]. Perhaps it doesn’t bother you not to know much more now than you did when you were young, but if it does at all, then September is a good month to start seeking. September always feels like the start of a new ‘learning time’. Ask any of the Ministry Team and they would be happy to suggest things you could do to nourish your faith and build understanding.

In the meantime – a challenge - here is the passage that foxed me: what do you think it’s saying to us?

Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2So he summoned him and said to him, “What is this that I hear about you? Give me an account of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.” 3Then the manager said to himself, “What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.” 5So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, “How much do you owe my master?” 6He answered, “A hundred jugs of olive oil.” He said to him, “Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.” 7Then he asked another, “And how much do you owe?” He replied, “A hundred containers of wheat.” He said to him, “Take your bill and make it eighty.” 8And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

Last November my very dear, close friend of more than 50 years died suddenly, without warning. Receiving the news was such a shock. Displayed at her funeral and thanksgiving service were some examples of her beautiful, colourful creative work – knitting, crochet, tapestry, felting and weaving. For her, the more intricate the pattern the better!

To honour her memory, I thought I would have a go at something creative. I realised too late that the first needlepoint I sent for did not have the picture printed on the canvas. Too complicated for me, so that was set aside. I settled on two pre-printed canvases with butterflies for one daughter and dragonflies for the other. They didn’t turn out too badly but, as the undersides were such a mess, I attached a backing very firmly to each one.

This poem reminds us that it is as though we look at life from the underside side of the tapestry. Often our lives do not seem to follow the pattern we were expecting. We sometimes find it hard to discern the overall picture from the loose threads, criss-crosses and tangled knots we see. Only occasionally, as God’s light shines through, do we get a glimpse of the design he is weaving from the darks and lights of our lives.

For my birthday in Spring last year, my friend gave me a card with a simple weaving on the front, in vibrant orange and yellow. There was no sign of any loose ends. Eight months later, she was no longer with us – a bright thread had been broken. I keep this weaving to remind me that this friend was so good at keeping her family and friends united, and that we who are left must endeavour to keep the remaining threads together.
How good are we at supporting those for whom some of the threads of life have become knotted, twisted or broken?

Life is like a tapestry, our lives and relationships tightly woven.
Since we are so interconnected, it makes sense to weave our words
and actions with love, kindness, trust, honesty and forgiveness.
Because we all share the same tapestry. We share the same world.
David Hamilton

Weather. There is so much in life we can control, but quite a lot that we can’t, and weather is one of those! My admiration went out to those who had planned Jubilee events on Sunday 5th June, as they read the dire forecasts and with only a day or two to prepare came up with ‘wet weather’ plans. And what will the weather be like for the Art and History Festival? Or for those longed for family holidays? We can only wait and see.

Some facts about St Swithun you may not know!
• St. Swithin was a Saxon Bishop of Winchester. He was born in 800AD in the kingdom of Wessex and educated in its capital, Winchester.
• He had a keen interest in weather and therefore become the Patron of Weather.
• One miracle is attributed to Swithin while he was alive. An old lady’s eggs had been smashed by workmen building a church. Swithin picked the broken eggs up and, it is said, they miraculously became whole again.
• St Swithin was said to have built several churches and was known for humanity and his aid to the poor and needy.
(Taken from the Doncaster Free Press)

According to British folklore, if it rains on 15th July, then we can expect 40 days of showery and stormy weather. This myth arose after the buried remains of St Swithun (Swithin) was removed from its original site in a church garden and taken into a Saxon cathedral.

Swithun was an Anglo-Saxon Bishop of Winchester. Legend says as the bishop lay on his deathbed in 862AD, he is asked to be buried outside where his grave would be rained and trodden on. But nine years later, on July 15, monks moved his remains to a shrine inside the cathedral. From that day it rained every day for nearly six weeks – as if this was his displeasure at being moved! Weather is quite a good metaphor for all those other things in life that we can’t control, where it seems that all we can do is put in place our own ‘wet weather’ plans: sickness, death of loved ones, the war in Ukraine, rising prices, climate change to name but a few.

The Bible mentions rain (and water) many times. These include the great flood and Noah’s Ark (Genesis 7); Ezra’s open-air public assembly in Jerusalem in the pouring rain (Ezra 10:9) and the parable by Jesus about two houses in a rainstorm (Matthew 7:24-27).

Over the centuries, hymn writers have also used water and rain to describe our need for God. They’ve used such phrases as
I need You ….like refreshing summer rain and Father,
like rain from the skies send Your word into our lives.

Some hymns include rain as a metaphor for the Holy Spirit to come and refresh, restore and revitalise us; to cleanse us of our sins or to wash away our sorrows.

Here is a verse and the chorus from an old hymn written by Daniel W. Whittle (1840-1901) that reminds us that when overwhelmed with gloom and despair, God can and will pour new hope into our lives.

There shall be showers of blessing, this is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing, sent from the Saviour above.
There shall be showers of blessing, O that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing, now as on Jesus we call!
Showers of blessing, showers of blessing we need;
Mercy-drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead.

I hope that this summer, whatever the weather, whatever the news holds, whatever is happening in your life, that you are able to enjoy some of the very many blessings that God showers us with every day!

During Holy Week I was thinking about Easter hymns and songs. Which made me listen to one of my favourite contemporary Easter songs Above All, the lyrics are as follows:

Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began
Above all kingdoms
Above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure what You're worth

Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all

Songwriters: Le Blanc Leonard J / Baloche Paul Joseph
Above All lyrics © Integrity's Hosanna! Music

The lyrics always remind me of the awesomeness of God. God who cannot be put in a box, or kept to one side for Sunday use only. God who is way beyond my human understanding – and yet with whom I have a personal relationship. Jesus revealed God’s love for each of us. His life and teaching set out how to live as a disciple.

I can’t explain how I feel when I listen to that song – it really moves me deep inside, lifts my spirits and makes me want to smile. I end up with a much deeper awareness of our God, God who loves me, God who loves you.

I also love the song because it was a firm favourite of a very dear friend of ours called Audrey. Audrey Weston (nee Abbot) was at Bletchley Park from 1942-1945 working as an operator on the bombe machine that helped break the German Enigma cyphers. She didn’t tell her family about her work during the war – no one knew what she had been doing until she was officially allowed to “tell all” in the 1970’s. Rich and I met Audley when she was about 85 and we would visit her regularly and drive her to church on Sunday mornings. We were even fortunate enough to take Audrey to Bletchley Park and have her give us a personal tour.

Audrey was a fun to be around. She loved the TV version of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth. In fact, as a joke her family even gave her framed magazine pictures of him for her wall! Many people who visited would share a good laugh with her about how much she loved dear old Colin!

Audrey loved being around people. I learned a lot from her, especially from her attitude to accepting change. When the service patterns changed, some people were unhappy- not Audrey. She decided that she would be different and would be the oldest person at the weekly family service. She would always do her best to embrace change and where she struggled, she prayed that God would give her grace to “accept and grow and go with the flow”!

Audrey was a kingdom builder – playing her part in living out her calling to be a disciple of Christ. She was always praying for people. She prayed for me everyday when I was expecting Mark. She was also a good listener - she listened to everyone and especially to God. I remember I once told her we desperately needed a pianist for my music group. She took me by the hand and walked me over to the piano and she prayed for someone to join our church who loved to play the piano. And she kept praying. Within a month a new family joined the church – and Simon (the dad) was an excellent pianist. And what was his favourite worship song at the time? Above All!

So, as I listened to Above All several times during Holy week I reflected on the awesomeness of God and his love for me, on Jesus, his death and resurrection, and on Audrey and how God’s love had shone out of her. Audrey loved to sing Above All, in fact we sang it at her funeral along with the traditional hymns Thine be the Glory and And can it be. And I thanked God for Audrey and the impact she had on so many people, particularly me!

The factsite.com says that “May is a month of transition”. If you live in the northern hemisphere you are moving from cold to warm and if you live in the southern hemisphere you are moving from warm to cold (or colder, anyway). Certainly, ecclesiastically speaking, we are this year in May moving from Eastertide towards Pentecost. Pentecost, the feast marking the coming of the Holy Spirit to the first disciples and the ‘birthday’ of the Church.

In secular Britain today, the first of May is a bank holiday, ‘May Day’. In the past it was sometimes known as ‘Garland Day’, particularly in rural areas, and was celebrated with music, dancing and games.
The first of May is Garland Day
So please remember the garland
We don’t come here but once a year
So please remember the garland.

Primary school children would collect greenery to make garlands in the shape of hoops or crosses, and parade with them in the hope of collecting money. There are still some Garland Ceremonies today, one of them very near to us in Charlton-on-Otmoor. A large wooden cross covered with yew and box leaves stands above the rood screen in the church. On May Day this is taken down and re-decorated with fresh greenery and flowers, and the school children carry small decorated crosses around the village and bring them to a special service.

Years ago, I took a service in that church and can still remember being struck by the greenery cross above the rood screen and wondering if it represented some form of symbiotic relationship between Christianity and paganism, nothing I would ever have seen in the London church where I had been before moving to rural Oxfordshire.

As time passes, as we move from one place to another, one age to another, one experience to another, we leave some things behind and carry others with us. This is what we’ve done in the Church over the past couple of years - worshipping via Zoom, sitting spaced out in church, singing, not singing, mask wearing, worshipping outside; we’ve kept some practices and changed others, we’ve adapted. We are in a time of transition. It’s May-time.

Changes may happen as Pentecosts – birthdays – come and go, but one change won’t happen. May in our hemisphere is also the time to celebrate the coming of spring, the blossoming of trees and flowers, the burgeoning of new life, and in this respect the Church is aligned with nature; the Easter experience affirms the power of life over death, light over darkness, hope over despair, love over hatred. The Easter message is as constant as nature’s springtime – “Love”, wrote Shakespeare, “whose month is ever May”.

As I write it seems hopeful that we will be able to go on holiday towards the end of March. This trip was first booked for March 2020, but of course the coronavirus put paid to that. During the last two difficult years the coronavirus, with all its variants, has hardly been out of the news. The coronavirus is so called because its outer layers are covered in spike proteins that surround them like a crown. (Corona is the Latin word for crown.) Coronaviruses use their spikes to invade human cells.

This year our thoughts turn to a very different type of crown, with much happier associations, as we look forward to the Platinum Jubilee celebrations for Her Majesty the Queen. Although she acceded to the throne in February 1952, her coronation was not until June 1953, to allow time for mourning the late King and for preparations to be made.

At her coronation the Queen wore the St Edward’s Crown, which was made for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661 as a replacement for the medieval crown which was melted down at the end of the Civil War. The original was thought to date back to Edward the Confessor, the eleventh-century king. The solid gold frame, set with over 400 jewels, weighs almost 5lb, a reminder of the heavy responsibilities of state. At the end of the coronation, this crown is replaced by the Imperial State Crown, which weighs 2.2lb. The lighter crown is also worn for the State Opening of Parliament.

In mid-April the focus will be on yet another crown, the Crown of Thorns, or corona spinea, in Latin. In three of the Gospels the cruel crown of thorns is named as one of many instruments of torture used while Christ was being mocked during his trial on Good Friday. A symbol of royalty and majesty, a crown, was turned into something exceedingly painful and degrading. On the cross Jesus carried the weight of the evil which had invaded the world, stretching out his hands in love, forgiveness and healing.

The New Testament records that Jesus endured the cross and thought nothing of its shame because of the joy he knew would follow his suffering (Hebrews 12.2). His crucifixion was not the end of the story, for his love was too strong to be bound and held by death. Hebrews 2.7 says, ‘He is now seated at the right hand of God’s throne, crowned with glory and honour.’ However, this symbolic language does not mean that Jesus is remote from us, far above our trials and sufferings. Jesus, the supreme example of a suffering servant, obedient to God’s will, understands what we go through and is with us through all the testing times of life.

The coronavirus has brought many trials and tribulations. Throughout her life the Queen has set an example of faithful devoted service. For her the life of Jesus Christ is an inspiration and an anchor in her life, a role model of reconciliation and forgiveness.

And finally … yet another sort of crown. In his New Testament letter St James says,
‘Blessed is the person who keeps on going when times are hard. After they have come through hard times, this person will receive a crown. The crown is life itself. The Lord has promised it to those who love him.’ (James 1.12)

It is an unfortunate fact that when I am listening to music, unless I am singing it, as in a hymn, or making a considerable effort, I just zone out. I have no idea how or when I learnt to do this, and it is very annoying. But it means that when I am in the car by myself, it has to be radio 4 all the way – I am much more likely to engage with people talking about something, regardless of what it is. But when Joe and I are in the car together, it’s music that we listen to, and more often than not, music from his ever-growing collection. And I go off into a daydream. But just once in a while, a song will catch my attention.

This happened with Smith and Burrows ‘Too late’. Now admittedly, when I heard it, I thought it was about climate change: ‘It’s too late now – don’t be hard on yourself, just ‘cause everything’s over.’ A rather pessimistic view of climate change, and one I wouldn’t subscribe to. Because I don’t think it is too late for humanity to pull itself out of the climate crisis, not if it puts its mind to it, and the minds of our scientists and industrialists and politicians and folk from the business world. Things may be fairly critical and the time for action is now, but I don’t think it’s too late. Not if we all play our part.

Anyway, Joe tells me that the song is probably about the endings of a relationship, and it seems that Google concurs. But bear with me – thinking, as I was, that it was about climate change, it seemed to be addressing the question of how we live when it seems as if thing can only get worse. I am losing count of all the crises that surround us at the moment – not just climate change, but the pandemic, the tensions around the Ukraine, economic challenges and rising fuel prices to name but a few. It’s a lot to cope with. How do we live in the face of it all?

Smith and Burrows in their song urge us to ‘play a song that keeps this together’ and not to be hard on our brothers and sisters. And it does seem really important at the moment that we come together, that we are kind to one another, do what we can to understand our varied viewpoints, tolerate one another. Both within our local communities and on the wider world stage.

We are so good at being intolerant and falling out with one another! Admittedly it is often easier than the painful work of trying to really listen to each other, of negotiating a way through that respects all, of possibly having to acknowledge that we got it wrong. But the reality is that none of us do have forever, so doesn’t it have to be worth trying to get along!

I wonder what different song we could sing? I guess the song that Jesus would urge us to sing would be one about loving one another – that takes awareness of each other, mutual respect, dollops of thought and generosity, and above all a willingness to sometimes put ourselves to one side for the good of someone else. We can’t always agree, but we can be kind to one another.

Someone was telling me of the kindness they experienced when going through a course of hospital treatment – of the understanding of staff who listened, the mutual support from other patients going through the same experience, the thoughtfulness of their family, the phone calls, the small gifts – they were bowled over by it all, and it made a real difference.

The first month of the new year has flown past. Not quite the start we would have wanted thanks to Omicron, but I feel like I’m getting used to planning for any and all eventualities.

I am in my final year of Curacy now – and only God knows what is ahead for me and for us as a family. But I’m trying not to think about that all the time! Your prayers, as always, would be appreciated.

As a Curate I spend a lot of time reading, thinking and reflecting! It is all part of my learning. But last year I also spent a lot of time thinking about thinking! It started with me getting very annoyed listening to politicians (particularly over in America) and wondering how on earth “the church” over there was so silent when facts were being distorted and people took lying to a new level – lies about the election, voting, the insurrection etc.

And that got me “thinking” about the voices I listen to and how much time I give to hear other points of view, and how one might get people to really consider the voices they listen to and what they hear – and to THINK about it! This led me to some online searching and I found some good debates to watch on YouTube. I watched one debate which was particularly inspiring. It was a fascinating discussion on many levels, but what was most interesting was the interaction between the audience and the speakers. It was obvious that each speaker had their own supporters and every so often the audience would applaud, clearly demonstrating their bias or partisanship. What I found most fascinating was the response of one speaker – he kept shaking his head as the audience clapped and when he got the chance to speak, he held up his hand and challenged the audience to stop clapping and rather to listen carefully to what was being said and having listened to THINK. He said “Don’t treat this debate as a cheap competition – we are desperately trying to confront serious problems.” At the very end of the debate the moderator asked “What one thing do you hope that people will take away from this debate?” to which that first speaker responded “I hope that people leave this debate with a belief in the power of communication between people with different views” and the second speaker said “I hope that we made at least some people think … don’t take the easy way out, don’t just attach labels to ideologies because that is easy – THINK!”

As is often the case when one starts watching something on YouTube, I ended up going down a rabbit hole watching more videos on the topic. One rabbit hole led me to another and I came across a video by Jordan Peterson, a clinical psychologist, author and professor. In a video he was asked what he thought about God to which he responded

I wonder what you think Peterson might mean by that? What might acting as if God exists involve? Why would he be terrified to find that God exists? What might that statement tell us about Peterson’s image of God?

As Christians we believe that God is a God of love who reaches out to each one of us. Judy Cannato describes it like this:

Being loved disarms us, brushes away our ego defences, and then exposes us not only to the other, but to ourselves. And it is from ourselves that we most often hide our gaze. . . . Everywhere the Holy One is shouting and whispering, “Let me love you.” And all that is asked of us is to receive. In reality, that is our life’s work. Nothing more and certainly nothing less.

A Year of Time - Steven B. Cloud
Even though thinking on the subject of time may prove discomforting, it is not a bad idea - especially at the beginning of a new year.
As we look into 2022, we look at a block of time. We see 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes, 31,536,000 seconds. And all is a gift from God. We have done nothing to deserve it, earn it, or purchased it. Like the air we breathe, time comes to us as a part of life. The gift of time is not ours alone. It is given equally to each person. Rich and poor, educated and ignorant, strong and weak - every man, woman and child has the same twenty-four hours every day. Another important thing about time is that you cannot stop it. There is no way to slow it down, turn it off, or adjust it. Time marches on.
And you cannot bring back time. Once it is gone, it is gone. Yesterday is lost forever. If yesterday is lost, tomorrow is uncertain. We may look ahead at a full year’s block of time, but we really have no guarantee that we will experience any of it.
Obviously, time is one of our most precious possessions. We can waste it. We can worry over it. We can spend it on ourselves. Or, as good stewards, we can invest it in the kingdom of God. The new year is full of time. As the seconds tick away, will you be tossing time out the window, or will you make every minute count?

This New Year - Eleanor Roosevelt, Jan. 1, 1937
I wish for those I love this New Year an opportunity to earn sufficient, to have that which they need for their own and to give that which they desire to others, to bring in to the lives of those about them some measure of joy, to know the satisfaction of work well done, of recreation earned and therefore savoured, to end the year a little wiser, a little kinder and therefore a little happier.

To Start a New Year - Anonymous
A new year is unfolding—like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within. Lord, let this year be filled with the things that are truly good - with the comfort of warmth in our relationships, with the strength to help those who need our help, and the humility and openness to accept help from others.
As we make our resolutions for the year ahead, let us go forward with great hope that all things can be possible - with Your help and guidance.

Dear Lord, please give me…
A few friends who understand me and remain my friends;
A work to do which has real value,
without which the world would be the poorer;
A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed;
An understanding heart; a sense of humour;
Time for quiet, silent meditation; a feeling of the presence of God;
The patience to wait for the coming of these things,
With the wisdom to recognize them when they come. Amen.

A New Year’s Prayer
May God make your year a happy one!
Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain, but by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making your path easy, but by making you sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from you, but by taking fear from your heart;
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine, but by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows;
Not by making your life always pleasant, but by showing you when people and their causes need you most, and by making you anxious to be there to help.
God’s love, peace, hope and joy to you for the year ahead.

My life is but a weaving Between my God and me. I cannot choose the colours He weaveth steadily.
Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow; And I in foolish pride Forget He sees the upper And I the underside.
Not ’til the loom is silent And the shuttles cease to fly Will God unroll the canvas And reveal the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful In the weaver’s skillful hand As the threads of gold and silver In the pattern He has planned.	He knows, He loves, He cares; Nothing this truth can dim. He gives the very best to those Who leave the choice to Him