This is adapted from a piece written by Maggie Ritchie, our benefice secretary.Today, our world is full of scattering: families uprooted by war, communities displaced by conflict or climate events, people forced to move for work, safety, or survival, social fragmentation that leaves many feeling spiritually scattered. However, God’s mission is not tied to stability. He works through movement, disruption, and change. Sometimes the very places we never expected to be — geographically or emotionally — become the places where God uses us most.Today, boundaries are being crossed constantly: migration brings new neighbours from every corner of the world, technology connects us with people we’ve never met, churches welcome worshippers from dozens of nations, communities are becoming beautifully diverse.In the New Testament the gospel is at its strongest when it crosses borders. It thrives in unfamiliar places. It grows when we welcome those who are different. It shines when we step outside our comfort zones. We are called to embrace difference. To see diversity not as a threat but as a gift. To recognise that God’s Spirit is already moving in cultures, languages, and communities far beyond our own. The Holy Spirit does not reinforce human divisions. He breaks them down. He builds bridges where society builds walls. He draws people together who would never normally stand side by side.In a world that encourages us to choose sides, we are called to be bridge‑builders. To show that the church is at its best when it is united, diverse yet deeply connected.
So the World Cup is over but soon the new football season will start! Sport never ends, as soon as one tournament is decided, the preparation begins for the next. And very quickly past achievements fade away and are replaced by the struggle of the new challenge. This of course is not just restricted to sport, past glory quickly goes in most spheres of life. Andre Aggassi, the famous tennis player and serial winner, has said that winning changes nothing. He knew that elation on the tennis court could not give lasting fulfilment. Jesus urged his disciples not to seek transient success in their lives but to seek what he called "treasure that lasts", the things that do not tarnish or decay. This comes from people leading a right life, based on loving one another and God. This is not a call to abandon all our ambitions or dreams but it means we need to see them in the context of what really matters. Even those who reject the traditional idea of God need to be sure that they are not worshiping an idol instead that leads them down the path of living a false life. That is a sure way of never finding treasure that lasts.