Friendship is a beautiful thing. It can offer support when times are difficult and a place to share joy when life is good. Friends are often the ones who can speak truth to us when others might fade into the background. It is a relationship that is chosen rather than determined by location or bloodlines. We all need friends, however young or old we are.July can be a tricky time for many children and young people as they prepare to say goodbye to friends. Many children spend the last weeks of school saying farewell to classmates who will be moving on to new schools or colleges, saying goodbye to teachers or moving on in classes. The end of the summer term marks that transition to new horizons, although some will have forged friendships in those times that can last a lifetime.As adults, moving around can create a strain on friendships, getting together becomes harder, but true friendship will cover the distance and meeting up can be like picking up where we left off.Jesus had friendships during his lifetime on earth, we hear about his disciples and followers and the women who joined him on his journeys. One particular family of siblings comes to mind, of Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus. We don’t know how Jesus came to know them, but they seem to have become close friends of his. They lived together in the village of Bethany, not far from Jerusalem. For Jesus the traveller, followed by crowds, maybe they provided a safe refuge, a quiet place to stay – somewhere he could just be himself and be refreshed. On one of his visits Jesus brings some of his disciples and sits down to teach them. Mary joins in, sitting at Jesus’s feet, listening to him; but Martha is running about in the kitchen, annoyed because Mary isn’t helping her. She voices the age-old cry – it isn’t fair! But Jesus replies that Mary has chosen the better part. Mary gives us an example of seeing what’s important in the moment, despite the expectations of others. Perhaps the lesson for us, is to notice what is happening around us, not to get so caught up in busyness that we miss the opportunity to stop and listen to someone special. To take time to value our friendships and what they offer to us, and what we can offer to them. Perhaps that is a friend or family member, or even perhaps God who is reaching out his hand of friendship towards you. Rev Katie Cross
During this month, some will celebrate the longest day of the year. Many gather at Stonehenge to witness the sun rising. Though we may not actively celebrate the solstice, we appreciate just how many hours of daylight there are. Society is held in the pattern of seasons that have given a rhythm to life for centuries. Many of us have moved away from being linked intrinsically to the countryside. However, events like this one, put us back in touch with our natural world in a way that appreciates the warmer weather and ripening fields.Our Minster vision is to live LIFE in all its fullness and during this season we will be thinking about how we can invest in our Christian journey. Our faith should be one that effects our whole life, not just where we go on a Sunday. One of the areas we pay attention to, is our response to the natural world that God has created.As churches we are encouraged to care for the environment, to become recyclers and reduce our carbon footprint. God has stewarded this amazing planet into our care and part of our Christian faith should reflect this gift to us. One of the five marks of mission is ‘To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth’. The Church of England has made a pledge for all churches to move towards being carbon neutral by 2030. This is one of the targets we are hoping to achieve, both through our buildings, and also by encouraging congregations to look at what we can do personally to care for our world.There are many ways we can participate:· Stop wasting food, by using our leftovers to make soups and stews, or freezing extra portions for another day, rather than throwing it away.· Make use of the community fridge to use food that is near its sell by date and is still delicious.· Composting: those peelings will turn into beautiful compost if we leave them long enough!· Buy our utilities from renewable sources.· Recycling and re-using· Walking or cycling rather than driving when possible So why not think about using 21st June to see how you can better steward this planet for generations to come and play your part in looking after the world that God has given us. Rev Katie Cross
Many people find this time of year difficult. Winter is still in full force; Christmas is a distant memory and so too are some of those well-meant New Year’s resolutions. Some can become despondent that our hopes for the year have already fallen short and the signs of Spring and new beginnings are still far off.However, all is not lost, God does not stop in this time of hibernation. We too are looking for signs of God’s love breaking into our community, having started two new services at St Nicholas; St Nicks @9 and a relaxed service, both on the third Sunday of the month. They herald new opportunities for imagining church in a different way, one that we might feel more comfortable bringing our friends and neighbours along to. Messy Church is growing from strength to strength, but we recognise these are only the first fruits in what will be benefice wide efforts at joining with God as He grows his Kingdom.It fits in well with our vision for L.I.F.E across the minster. L – Loving God, I – Investing in our Christian journey, F – Flourishing in our community, E- Everyone is welcome. Our desire is that everyone enjoys life in all its fullness, just as God intended. So, we are looking at new and old ways of expressing our love for God, building us up to grow deeper in our faith and being present in our town and villages to reach out to those who want to know more. It is a journey we are on together and everyone is invited to participate. There is something for each of us to do, such as helping with services, visiting in the community, praying for our neighbourhoods and offering our talents inside and outside the church.So take heart, it may only be the start of the year, but I believe we are determined to explore all that God has in store for us and to grow as life bringers for each other.
I have been reflecting on the following quote “A canal boat is safe in a canal basin but that’s not what canal boats are built for”. A number of years ago my parents in law retired, sold up and bought a narrow boat which is now their permanent home. They have a mooring at Droitwich but spend much of the year exploring the many waterways across the country and experiencing the beautiful countryside.A narrow boat is a gentle way to travel, you are forced to slow down to a mind blowing five miles an hour, even at full tilt. Everything is taken carefully and slowly, allowing you to savour the surroundings. They have recently returned from a two-week circuit that took in Worcester, Evesham, Stratford and the bottom of Birmingham. It was quite extraordinary to think we could jump in the car and meet up with them in about 30 minutes, a journey that was taking them days to travel.The route they took involved navigating a stretch of the river Avon and at this point the sailing becomes more dangerous. Lifejackets are donned and a keen eye is kept on other vessels and the weather. Heading out into deeper, wider waters increases the likelihood of problems, so additional care is taken to prevent accidents.Slowing down also puts you at the mercy of the weather, you become more keenly aware of the changing sky, if the wind becomes significant, it can blow you across the canal into the reeds with the potential to get stuck. There are no quick options, just planning and thinking ahead, mindful of what is happening around you and being ready to moor up until the storm passes.In the same way our lives can end up being lived at a pace, with the opportunity to slow down and savour each moment a rare event. As Christians we are called to take notice of the things happening around us, to spot the times and places where God is at work and to join in with his handiwork.But just like the narrow boat, this doesn’t mean we are always travelling in calm waters. Sometimes we need to don our life jackets, be aware and ready to respond appropriately. God wants us to move out of our canal basins and onto the waterways, ready to follow his guidance.So, as we approach this summer time, perhaps we can take the time to slow down, appreciate all that surrounds us and find that God is with us, working alongside us and encouraging us into new waters.Rev Katie Cross
