Clergy Letter
Dear Friends,
The excitement of summer is here; it may be tainted by petrol and energy price rises and having to watch the pennies; but most of us are rightly still determined to enjoy it. You may already have seen people celebrating the longest day at the solstice; I am sure you will have heard teachers and children, if not parents, saying they are looking forward to the end of term. But the question then soon arises what are we going to do in our holidays? I suspect some of you may be thinking: “Here comes the vicar bit about holidays originally being holy-days”. True enough; but I was actually going to suggest that we use it as a time to rethink our plans for the new school year or at least what we want to do in the autumn and winter months. A major problem today is that most of us are travelling so fast in our week that we don’t have time to stop and think what we're doing, let alone why we are doing it. Nor do we pause to question if it is really how we want to live our lives? Holidays, as well as being great fun, are a moment to try a rethink. Taking stock is much more easily accomplished away from home and our overdrive routine. Yes - when did we, for instance, manage a balanced home and work life? What did we truly achieve in all our haste? When did we have a satisfying time together with our immediate family or relations? How much time was spent at the computer or watching the TV compared with talking to our friends or neighbours? Where if anywhere did God feature in our routine?
The word solstice comes from the Latin sun stand still. I am certainly not recommending that we all go off to Stonehenge or other standing stones! But why not try a pause and rethink.
Try a different sort of book. Have you ever read What’s so Amazing about Grace by Philip Yancey? It’s a truly eye opening text about God making all the moves of love towards us whether or not we stop and notice them. I challenge anyone to read it and not be profoundly affected in what you think is important in the future.
In September we at St Paul’s are planning a new Alpha Course with meals provided. Alpha (standing for a new beginning) attempts to ask the important questions in life – helping us in groups to wrestle with the meaning of life. Has Christianity anything relevant to say to our current way of living? Why not think over the summer whether you’re satisfied with how you are running your life? It may be a great moment to join with others asking the big questions in September - look out for the posters and join in.
Don’t miss out on the summer rethink. There’s still time to be still.
Revd Peter Gibbs
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