Condemned?16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)As I write the news is full of condemnation: Israel has a death penalty law; Iran is striking nations that have not attacked Iran; Russia continues to be aggressive to Ukraine; Antisemitism in the UK is condemned by the British government; even the US press have condemned their president for threatening to attack Iranian civilian infrastructure.Closer to home, the boiler in Alton Church has been condemned. Not that it has failed to work, it has served us well for over 20 years, but the regulations for ventilation have changed so the engineer told us that without more air around the boiler we could not use it. Some folk noticed as soon as we changed the historic west door of the Church (without cutting it) removing the top right side; and replacing it with horrible plywood and a grille. This means the door looks terrible and the bellringers have a draught. The Church is seeking to look after the environment, so we had to look at replacing the boiler with a heat pump (too expensive, and not suitable for buildings that are not heated all the time). Then we thought about using hydrogen gas in the boiler which is apparently on its way but not available yet. So we had a serious look at electrically heating the Church but this would require many heaters suspended from the ceiling throughout the Church and we did not like the look of them. So we have gone back to the idea of a gas boiler – but much more efficient than the old one, installed by a local contractor, with a balanced flue through the stone wall on the side most people don’t see. The Church does its planning permission through experts based at Lichfield who know about listed buildings and the plans for the new boiler are now with them for permission. Once the new boiler is in place we can put the west door back how it used to be.We do know it will cost about £20,000, and we can probably just about stretch to it – but it would leave us with nothing for rooves and churchyards. We always ask the local congregation to give a special gift in June (St Peter’s day is 29th). I know this article is read by many who don’t often come in the Church but value us being there for the village and for the many services we offer (baptisms, weddings, funerals). If you would like to give to the appeal, I have included here the QR code you can see in the Church pews which allows donations to be given digitally. (You will need to download it from this page before you can use it)Continuing the theme of condemnation in a more fitting way for the Vicar’s letter I want to briefly look at the most famous verse in the Bible.John 3:16 begins with God’s heart: “For God so loved the world…” This love didn’t wait for us to be perfect. God loved first. And because of that love, He gave His Son. Jesus came not to embarrass us, not to crush us, and not to cast us away. He came so that whoever believes in Him would not perish.Verse 17 explains even more clearly why Jesus came: God sent His Son “not to condemn the world.” Instead, Jesus was sent to save it. That means condemnation is not the final message from Jesus. The final message is redemption, God’s rescue plan reaching into our weakness.Then John 3:18 draws a direct line: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned.” Notice what belief does, it brings us out from under condemnation. But John also includes a sobering truth: “Whoever does not believe… stands condemned already.” The issue is not that God delights in punishment; the issue is that refusing Jesus leaves a person without a Saviour.So, the question isn’t, “Am I a bad person?” The question is, “Will I trust the One God sent?” If you believe in Jesus, you are not condemned, because He came to save you, not to shame you.Confess your need, receive His love, and walk forward in hope. Jesus is calling you out of condemnation and into life.17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:17-18) Brian Leathers April 2026
Ecology27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:27-28)I used to play a board game called “Careers” with my children. Among pursuits such as becoming a Solicitor or an Astronaut was the option to work as an Ecologist. On one square was the phrase I remember as “spot a yellow bellied sapsucker and gain 6 happiness”. It a sort of ridiculous career with happiness rather than fame or money as its main gain.The King was for many years ridiculed for his stance on the environment. Seen often as a “tree hugger” and criticised for talking to his plants. Then the Church started to get the idea. The worldwide Anglican communion chose their five marks that the Church should look at to see what mission they are doing (activities in keeping with the commands of the Bible). The fifth (added in 1990) surprised many of us as “Strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth.” The present situation in the area of ecology is our focus on “net zero carbon”. The national Church feel this is so important that they have funded us with an officer to enable the parishes to work towards caring for the environment. One of the first things is to come up with an “energy footprint tool” which helps us to calculate where we are and therefore as we change things we can measure how we are doing. Our buildings were built so long ago that there is a negligible carbon footprint from their construction. Moving to LED rather than halogen bulbs in the Churches will help, and there was serious discussion about changing the heating system from Gas to Electric for ecological reasons at Alton. There is a guide on the Diocesan website called “A practical guide to net zero carbon for Churches”. Changes to Churches for the sake of the environment are now much easier to do, with their value recognised. There has been a theological shift whereby care for creation is no longer seen as a niche concern for enthusiasts, but as a natural outworking of discipleship. If humanity is made in the image of God, then how we treat what God has made reflects how we honour the Creator himself.The Psalms remind us of this truth clearly: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1). We are not owners, but caretakers. This changes the tone of the conversation. Net zero carbon is not simply a political target or a fashionable idea; it becomes part of our obedience. If the earth is the Lord’s, then reducing harm to it is an act of worship.There are also strong themes of responsibility towards others that support this direction. Climate change and environmental degradation do not affect all people equally. It is often the poorest communities, those who have contributed least to the problem, who suffer the most. As Proverbs 31:8–9 urges, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves… defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Working towards net zero carbon can therefore be seen as an expression of love for our global neighbour, aligning with Jesus’ command to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:31).Practically, striving for net zero encourages us to be attentive and intentional. It prompts churches to examine energy use, travel, land management, and purchasing decisions. These changes are often modest in isolation, switching lighting, improving insulation, reconsidering heating, but collectively they form a witness. They demonstrate that faith is not confined to words spoken on a Sunday, but lived out in the everyday stewardship of resources.The quieter spiritual benefit is a paying attention to creation that can deepen our awareness of God. The intricate detail of the natural world, from birdsong to changing seasons, draws us into gratitude and wonder. What once seemed like a “ridiculous” pursuit like spotting a bird for the sake of happiness begins to look more like a rediscovery of joy in God’s world.In the end, the move towards net zero carbon is not about chasing perfection or meeting an abstract target. It is about faithfulness. It is about aligning our lives, individually and collectively, with the character of a Creator who delights in what he has made and calls it good.We have a meeting of the Deanery Synod with the Diocesan Environmental Officer Dr Jan Firth on wed 3rd June 7:30pm at the Stanton Village hall which anyone can attend if you would like to join us and see what is happening. Brian Leathers May 2026
The APCM is basically the church’s annual meeting. It was a chance to look back over the past year, hear what’s been going on, and find out about any important updates. Even if you’re not on a committee, it’s helpful because it gives you a simple overview of church life and where things are heading.At the meeting, people usually heard short reports about the church’s worship, activities, finances, and ministry. There were also elections for roles like churchwardens, PCC members, and deanery synod reps. These are the people who help with the practical side of church life and support the church’s mission and future plans.For most church members, the APCM was mainly about staying informed. It was a chance to celebrate what had gone well over the year 2025, thank the people who give their time and energy, and hear about any priorities for the year ahead. It was a good opportunity to ask questions and feel more connected to what’s happening in the church. I want to thank those who attended and particularly those who came on the Church council and took on various roles in the Church. Sadly we are still short of a secretary – and having said he was going to give up a year ago – Chris has kindly kept his role of treasurer until December 2026. If any others would like to help in any way – please let Brian (Vicar) or Linda (Churchwarden) know.
https://www.youneedtotalkaboutgod.com/filmsFollow the link to five short films
