The visibility of GodImmortal, invisible, God only wise is the opening line of Walter Smith’s 2003 hymn, and one many of us sing often. However, this week I would like us to reflect on the visibility of God rather than the invisibility the world associates, and what that means for us as Christians.I was recently at an education leadership conference and one of the speakers talking about being visible as a leader made a poignant point and it started me thinking about God. To simplify the comment, being visible is not about being seen, it is about your presence, confidence, reassurance and direction. To this end, I question whether our God is invisible or visible. A simple read through the bible addresses all these points quite distinctly and demonstrates a visible God, however we need not be just son entrenched in believing the bible is the only visible incarnation of God. Look at the world around us, look at the flowers, animals and the seasons, and think about how this world provides for us. Look at the kindness that people show and good that people do for each other. Yes there is evil in the world too, but that does not detract from the good in the world. The basis of our laws are drawn from the same laws set down by God in the Ten Commandments and developed through Jesus’ teaching. Look at the way lives have been changed, the miracles that occur and the commitment of Christian all around the world.So what does that mean for me, as a Christian in 2026. The visibility of God makes me secure in the knowledge that I am loved by our eternal Lord and Saviour who has a plan for me. At the same time, I recognise that I am bound in that commitment to be Christlike (to the best of my ability) and am part of God’s visibility on Earth whether I am preaching, praying or just living life, I need to exude God in all that I do. As we enter the August period for our Churches and we move to a weekly ABC Communion service, it gives us all chance to come together in five of the seven churches, with one service taking place in each of the five parishes to build our church community. I hope and pray that we are increasingly demonstrating God’s visibility in our lives. Although I will be away for three of the Sunday’s in August I hope to meet up with as many of you on the services I can attend. To finish, I remind you of the two lines of the first verse of the hymn I started with: most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.As Christians we serve a mighty God, let us remember who is at the centre of our lives and what is important.God Bless Alan (LLM)Pray for …A growing closeness of our Churches and the villages we serve (Acaster Malbis, Appleton Roebuck, Acaster Selby, Askham Bryan, Bolton Percy, Colton, Copmanthorpe) and all that God has in store for us, moving forward together.Christians in our communities and around the world engaged in continuing the work of Jesus, however big or small.Those who will struggle with caring responsibilities (particularly for those with Children) over the school holiday periodGive thanks for …The Reverand Geoff Mumford, who returns from his holiday. We hope he is refreshed and restedA time of holiday for many, time to spend with loved ones and opportunity rest and relaxationThe continued commitment of our church communities
Thought for the Week – 24th July 2026 – Daniel KhanIn the GardenFor folk with gardens, I’m sure you will agree that the current spell of very warm weather is proving something of a challenge! Watching the sun and heat take its toll on our flowering plants and vegetables can be very disheartening, and I was thinking about this as I, yet again, tried to keep my tomato and courgette plants alive with the watering can. I believe, however, that there is something deeply spiritual about gardening. Whether we tend a large garden, a small courtyard, an allotment, or simply a few pots by the front door, we soon discover that gardening is an exercise in hope, patience, and humility.Every gardener knows both delight and disappointment. We sow seeds with eager anticipation, only to find that slugs have enjoyed them before we can. We carefully nurture plants through dry spells, only for a late frost to undo weeks of care. We pull weeds that seem determined to return overnight. There are seasons when everything flourishes, and seasons when little seems to grow despite our best efforts. Life itself can feel much the same.The Bible begins and ends in a garden. In the opening chapters of Genesis, God places Adam in the Garden of Eden "to work it and take care of it" (Genesis 2:15). Humanity's first calling was not simply to enjoy creation but to steward it faithfully. Even after sin entered the world, the ground still yielded beauty alongside "thorns and thistles" (Genesis 3:18), a reminder that joy and struggle often grow side by side.And throughout Scripture, gardens are places where God meets people. King Solomon delighted in vineyards and orchards. The Song of Songs uses gardens as images of beauty, love and fruitfulness. Jesus often withdrew to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, where sorrow and obedience met in profound trust in the Father's will. After the resurrection, Mary Magdalene first encountered the risen Christ in a garden and, fittingly, mistook Him for the gardener (John 20:15).Jesus Himself pointed to the quiet miracle of seeds, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how" (Mark 4:26–27). I find it reassuring to remember that God is often at work in ways we cannot see. Our prayers, acts of kindness and words of encouragement may seem small to us, but who knows what seeds we may have planted?Of course, gardens also teach us about pruning. Few gardeners enjoy cutting back a healthy-looking shrub, yet experience tells us it often returns stronger and more fruitful. Jesus uses this image when He says, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener... Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful" (John 15:1–2). Pruning is rarely comfortable in our own lives. Times of loss, change, disappointment or waiting can leave us wondering why God allows such things to happen. Yet the Master Gardener sees beyond the present season, what appears to us as loss may become preparation for greater fruitfulness.But then there are the moments of pure delight. The first rose opening in June; sweet peas filling the air with fragrance; a robin following the spade; tomatoes warmed by the afternoon sun; children discovering a ladybird or butterfly. Such moments remind us that creation brings wonder to the world, and perhaps that is why so many people find peace in a garden. In the rhythm of sowing and weeding, watering and waiting, we are gently reminded that we are not in control, and that is good news. The God who clothes "the grass of the field" (Matthew 6:30) also knows our needs and invites us not to be anxious but to trust Him. As the summer season continues, may we rejoice in its pleasures. May gardens, however large or small, become places of gratitude, prayer and wonder, where we can glimpse the beauty of creation.Daniel Khan(Licenced Lay Minister)
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Pilgrim Places by Rachel (LLM/Reader) 15th July 2026Chaucer said that April was the month to go on pilgrimages, but the Pilgrim Places initiative, part of Faith in the North, invites us all to make our churches places of pilgrimage, where weary travellers, casual passers-by, and fellow villagers can find rest, wonder and peace.Psalm 19:1 says “The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard, yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.”There are whispers of the divine in the beauty and wonder of the natural world, but church buildings can speak too. Few people will come to church and hear a sermon, and many people in our villages may not have even seen the inside of our beautiful churches. Yet our buildings themselves can tell Christ’s story, if we will open them up to the spiritually curious. The story of Jesus, his birth, death and resurrection, the apostles and the beginning of the church, the heroes of the Old Testament and the stories of the New, are told in stained glass. Candles symbolise the Light of Christ and crosses remind us of his victory over death. The altar shows us that there is one sacrifice for sin, and there we remember, in the mystery of bread and wine, that Jesus gave his body and his blood for us. The font shows us where the Christian pilgrimage begins, with baptism and repentance, leading to new life in Christ. Gothic arches and lofty ceilings draw our eyes upwards in wonder, and we can sense the yearning of human beings for meaning and significance, for the numinous, for God. Ancient stones, soaked in prayer, are a monument to hundreds of years of faith. The stone floors remember the tread of many feet, voices now silent, souls now resting in peace, waiting for the return of our Lord. The Pilgrim Places initiative is for such a time as this, where many people, especially young people, are spiritually hungry and curious. Our world today, with its wars, climate change, injustice and violence, is not unlike the Anglo Saxon world in which our ancient Northern Saints, such as Paulinus, Aelred, Cuthbert, Hilda and Aidan lived.You can sign up to be a Pilgrim place on the Faith in the North website www.faithinthenorth.org There are free materials available such as prayer cards, illustrated, reflective trails helping you explore churches, resources for children and young people and a toolkit of ideas to help you use your building to welcome visitors. Contact Rachel if your PCC needs help with this! rachelreid91@gmail.com or call me on 07981127324
