Rules are RulesSo as we get closer to my licencing as a Lay Minister in September, we get to the point of making sure all the boxes are ticked, i’s dotted, and t’s crossed. In the last couple of weeks I have received my certificate to confirm I had passed the Leadership Safeguarding Course. Box ticked. Then a few weeks ago I received an email to say the diocese needed a copy of my baptism / confirmation certificates. Two years on from when I started this journey and now I get asked for documents. Wow. Well I have reached the young age of 55 and I was baptised as a baby at about 6 months old, both my parents have passed away and neither myself nor my sisters know where the certificate may be. I have not been confirmed. I grew up not attending Church, and as many of you will know I became a Christian while at University. While at University I went through a full immersion baptism. All good so I thought. Unfortunately, the rules of the Church of England require a Baptism Certificate (which I cannot find, and my Church in Preston has closed and no-one knows where the records may be) and to be Confirmed. So last week as a fix I had to sign an affidavit to say I had been baptised as an adult and on Sunday I was Confirmed by the Bishop of Selby.I write this not as a grumble but really to emphasise the need to live a Christian life abiding by the rules. It is true to say that Jesus came to free us from the law but not to be lawless. Mark 12:30-31 tells us30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”Therefore following Christ requires you to fit within the rules, however these are intended not as disabling constraints but rather as enabling constraints, boundaries which allow us to live life to the full, but which are designed to help us to live and love and care for one another.For much of my 30 years as a Christian I have worshipped in a C of E church but always considered myself a Christian rather than an Anglican. I have over the years got used to the C of E ways, some of which I get and some bemuse me. The last two years has taught me a lot about the rules of the Church of England and to a large extent has helped me to understand why!So, to finish this thought for the week, I reflect on that need to follow the rules, to follow Jesus and to listen to and for that calling.Alan
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK - From VicarGeoffDrawing Close to GodIn the busyness of church life it is very easy to loose touch with God. What do I mean? So often church life becomes about doing. We have to have our services - even if we don't always go to them. We expect there to be someone to open up, hand out the hymn books, play the organ, lead the prayers, do a reading and most importantly provide coffee. These are all good and part of church life, but they are not the purpose of church or core to us following and serving Jesus. Don't shoot me down, but I want to bravely suggest that church in itself, and the activities we do as part of belonging to our churches in ancillary to the real reason that church exists. To be a community of people who gather to worship God, submitting our lives to His authority and serving Him.Don't get me wrong, I am very grateful, as I hope we all are, that people take on those roles and we are able to fellowship after our services and do so many other things. Where would we be without our Church Wardens and tea and coffee makers, cleaners and flower arrangers? Fellowship and community are a vital part of church life, but not the central or core purpose of the churches existence. Worshipping God is the core purpose, putting Him at the centre of all we do. We are to 'be' in His presence, not just 'do' in his presence. August is a month where we can all spend time drawing close to God, having the space of a less hectic lifestyle. Drawing on a more contemplative lifestyle of prayer and meditation on the Scriptures, space allows us to simply sit in God's presence and soak up His love. Being in His presence.During August our pattern of worship across the ABC Churches is changing dramatically. There will be only one service each Sunday at 10:30am and at a different venue each week. This is partly to accommodate many people being away in August and so lessen the workload on those who are around. This service will include Communion and hymns and songs, but it will also be a wonderful opportunity to worship in a larger congregation with folk from the different church communities within the ABC Villages, which I believe will be appreciated following the feedback we had from our last wider ABC Churches gathering at the end of June.I hope this will give everyone an opportunity to enjoy a more relaxed pace of life in August and the opportunity to travel around to get to know other churches, villages and people in ABC Land. If the travel is an issue please do get in touch with the office.Yours in our Saviour's Name!Geoff
