Have you ever heard of Habakkuk? Funny name, but an inspiring Old Testament prophet, who, in about 600 BC, bewails gross injustice in the land, and sees that the Lord is going to bring invasion and then exile upon his people as a consequence. He feels wretched; however, he ends his book with a beautiful psalm of hope; he states that God will ultimately help and raise up his people; see Habakkuk chapter 3, especially verses 18-19: “.. yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on high places.” He sees himself and his people as if they were deer, leaping up crags to lofty places from where they will see very far.

Our horizons are broadening, as we have all accepted the request and the challenge to merge the Benefice of Priddy, Easton and Westbury-sub-Mendip with that of Cheddar, Draycott and Rodney Stoke, from November. Not without some uncertainty over implications, yet the leadership of all six churches felt the imperative to join hands with brothers and sisters in Christ, for encouragement, friendship and service for all six churches.

In life, we see difficulties and can feel overwhelmed; however, like Habakkuk, we can deal with these times by thanking God for his vision for us and his belief in us. The Lord constantly desires for you/us to flourish, especially if really challenged, and to stand tall in our own lives; he also has called us as churches to see each other, embrace each other and bless each other, so that God’s kingdom can grow more effectively in our region – our unity will attest to the graspable truth of the good news of Christ alive. All our little churches will climb up to the high places!

Please, let us all be thankful, pray for this project and give to it all our support.

Stuart Burns
Rector-to-be of the new benefice