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
The first weekend of June this year marks two significant events. The first of these is the Queen’s platinum Jubilee, for which celebration events are being planned in communities across the country. In our own villages there are activities taking place over the bank holiday weekend offering a chance to meet friends old and new and bring communities together.This is the first time that any British monarch has celebrated a Platinum Jubilee, and after 70 years on the throne very few of us will even be able to remember anything other than living in Elizabethan times.The Queen’s reign has been marked by almost unimaginable changes in society and in the world. Her coronation was credited with kickstarting the television age, now screens are just about everywhere. Her first Christmas broadcast in 1952 was only on the radio, her latest in 2021 could be watched on TikTok or heard on Amazon Alexa!The Queen has been a constant presence in an ever-changing world and it is testament to her humility and service that, though scandals may have rocked her family and a great number of her governments, the Queen herself remains an inspiration to many.Though the majority of her coronation was shown on television, there was one moment that was deemed too sacred to broadcast (even that is a decision that you can’t imagine television executives making today!). This was the moment when the symbols of her status – the crimson robe, the diamond diadem, the coronation necklace – were removed, and the Archbishop of Canterbury anointed the new Queen with holy oil.The Queen has spoken since of how this moment was the most significant one of her life, as in humility she was dedicated to a life of service and called to follow the example of Jesus who himself gave his life for others.It is fitting then that the other significant celebration taking place on the first weekend in June is the feast of Pentecost. This is when we remember the gift of God’s Holy Spirit to the Church, that Spirit of love and service which binds all people together and fills each and every one of us with the guiding presence of God.The early Christians, after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, dedicated their lives to one another. As the Acts of the Apostles puts it, “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.”As we approach this weekend with its multitude of celebrations may we all be inspired – whether by the Holy Spirit, by the many years of humble service of her Majesty the Queen, or both – to dedicate our lives to the service of our fellow humans, in our own communities and around the world.
Do you like to be surprised? I suppose it depends on what kind of surprise it is. We experience unpleasant surprises when we hear of the sudden death of a person who had been so well, the collapse of a business, or suddenly finding oneself out of work.On the other hand, we all love good surprises. The unexpected arrival of friends we haven’t seen for a long time, a surprise birthday party, the announcement of a pregnancy, or a lottery win.What a surprise it must have been for Peter and his partners, fishermen on lake Galilee, when on a night that had been very bad for fishing they landed the biggest haul they had had ever caught – and all because Jesus had suddenly appeared and told them to cast their nets on the other side – where they had already tried to no avail!. All these fish even when the fish weren't biting.Peter was an expert fisherman and knew what this miracle implied. He fell at Jesus’ feet, recognising that he was in the presence of God. Peter had a deep sense of his unworthiness. He exclaimed, "Go away from me, Lord! I am a sinful man!"Then he was hit with a second surprise. Peter, the rough, tough, loud talking, direct speaking, pig-headed fisherman, became the first to be called as one of Jesus’ disciples. He had no special training, no qualifications, in fact, he regarded himself as completely unworthy to be even in Jesus’ presence. He expected to hear Jesus’ anger at being so faithless, but instead he heard those loving words of forgiveness and commission – "Don't be afraid; from now on you will be catching people."Just as Peter was surprised by the big haul of fish in spite of the seemingly unfavourable conditions, God still surprises us today with the plans he has for our lives. Even when we, like Peter, say, "It won't work because I have been there and done that before." Or perhaps we say, "I can’t do this – I’m too young, or too old, too busy, too inexperienced…..." Don’t be too shocked when God surprises you with what he can do when we listen to what He says to us, believe his promises and obey his Word.I can't say in what form God’s surprises will come. Maybe using your gifts in ways you had never imagined before. Maybe giving time to someone or some cause that you had never entered your head until you were challenged. But whatever the situation that comes up, we just need to ask God to give us the faith, the humility and the boldness to do whatever is necessary to further the work of His kingdom. Do that and you won’t fail to be surprised at the results.Image - https://www.freepik.com/vectors/funny-background">Funny background vector created by freepik - www.freepik.com
Spring is arriving, with the early flowers blooming, as we begin to see signs of the world coming back to life. We have seen the clocks move once more so we can also begin to enjoy those extra hours of daylight, the face covering are largely off and it is as thought we are emerging from hibernation.It is also a time of change in the Church. We are moving from the preparation and reflection of Lent to the celebration of Easter on 17th April. You may notice the changes taking place in church, reflecting the ones you have seen out of your windows. During Lent we take down many of the decorations. There are often no flowers and the church seems very plain. We use a deep purple cloth to remind us that it is a time for preparation of ourselves. As we come into Holy Week (the week running up Easter) you may have noticed that even the colours disappear from the communion table, leaving it as bare wood.We do this to remind ourselves that all is stripped back, back to the core of our Christian faith, founded on the immense love of God expressed through a wooden cross.Over the past few weeks, we have witnessed on our news the violent struggles in Ukraine. As I am writing, the fighting has increased once again and there has been a huge outpouring of compassion towards those fleeing. We long for the situation to change.On Easter day we witness a marvellous transformation, the flowers and colours reappear in church. The place is filled with the colour and scent of a variety of blooms. The deep purple is replaced by vivid white or gold. The colours remind us of the hope and peace we find in the Easter message, that the death of Jesus on the cross is not the end of the story, but God continues to show his love through Jesus’ resurrection and rising to new life. All change inside the church, just like we see in the countryside as the bulbs push through and nesting birds begin to gather for their young. A new life and a new start.All change is what we are praying for where conflict is taking place, for hostility to be replaced by peace. All change, is an opportunity for us to consider what this new season of life may offer us, whatever that may be. Why not ask God to walk alongside side you and show you his peace, to help you pray for change and hope for what is to come.Rev Katie Cross
