Take a HolidayI will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. (Psalm 77:11)We pack our bags and chase the horizon in search of an escape. In our modern hustle, we call it a "holiday." But if you trace the origin of the word, you find something far deeper than beach resorts and sightseeing. A holiday was originally a holy day, a consecrated pocket of time set apart not just to leave our routines, but to reflect on our lives and realign our souls. Over the centuries, our holy days have drifted, morphing into secular holidays focused purely on leisure. While rest is essential, leisure alone cannot heal a weary heart. To truly restore ourselves, we must learn to turn our holidays back into holy days.True reflection requires a deliberate pause, a willingness to look inward. The 17th-century Puritan writer Richard Baxter provided a brilliant framework for this in his classic work, The Saints’ Everlasting Rest. He called the practice soliloquy—the act of speaking intimately to oneself in the presence of God.According to Baxter, we should actively spend time:"…seeing how God’s truth should be affecting you, your life and all your relationships, and then pleading and preaching to your heart until it connects to the truth and begins to turn away from its false hopes and to change its attitudes, feelings and commitments." This is not passive meditation; it is an active, loving confrontation with one’s own soul. Baxter takes it a step further, challenging us with beautifully urgent language to use this self-discourse to ignite our faith:"Plead thyself from a clod to a flame; from a forgetful sinner and a lover of the world, to an ardent lover of God; from a fearful coward to a resolved Christian; from an unfruitful sadness to a joyful life; in a word, till thou hast pleaded thy heart from earth to heaven." When we step away from the noise of the world, scripture gives us the perfect blueprint for how to fill that quiet space. The first step is remembrance. In Psalm 77:11, the psalmist writes in a moment of distress: "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago." When the pressures of life pile up, our holidays give us the margin to look backward, counting the ways God has been faithful, even when the current season feels dry.The second step is internalization. In Luke 2:19, following the chaotic and miraculous events of Jesus’ birth, we read that "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Mary didn’t just move on to the next task; she sat with the mystery and weight of God's work. A holy day invites us to do the same, to treasure and ponder, rather than just consume and forget.You do not need to travel to a distant monastery to reclaim the holy day. In fact, one of the most excellent times to practice this is during regular Church worship. As the hymns rise and prayers are spoken aloud around you, it is entirely appropriate to use that corporate space for private sanctuary. It is a beautiful time to come before God with the unique pressures weighing down your life and lift them quietly to Him. In those moments, amidst the liturgy and song, you can tune out the distractions and remember a foundational truth: before God, you are a precious child whom He deeply cares for.Let us incline our hearts back to God. The next time you find yourself with a day of rest, look past the mere pursuit of leisure. Use the time to consider the things that truly matter, preach truth to your own heart, and allow your soul to be pleaded from earth to heaven.But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19) Brian Leathers July 2026
What’s the point?1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king of Jerusalem: 2 ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’ 3 What do people gain from all their labours at which they toil under the sun? (Ecclesiastes 1)“Meaningless! Meaningless! … Utterly meaningless!” Those words from The Teacher in Ecclesiastes can feel brutally honest, especially when you’ve poured effort into something and still ended up disappointed. Sometimes disappointment doesn’t just sting; it shakes our sense of purpose. We ask, What’s the point? By the time this is published things might be resolved, but this week, people in the area are reeling under the news that Abbotsholme school is suddenly to close leaving the staff unpaid. We all face many disappointments in life, and I want to show how our faith can help us cope with them. In a world that often demands fixed answers, Ecclesiastes reminds us that life doesn’t always deliver the result we were hoping for. Faith doesn’t deny disappointment. Instead, it gives us a way to keep walking through it with hope intact. You could say that your faith can help you reframe a disappointment, not as a defeat, but as part of God’s seasons.Ecclesiastes speaks of seasons for everything: a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. (I know many people have this reading at their wedding.) Disappointment may feel permanent in the moment, but faith teaches us that it is not the final chapter. God works within rhythms, planting and uprooting, tearing and mending, silence and speaking. When you trust that there is “a season for everything,” disappointment becomes something you pass through, not something you must surrender to.Many philosophies suggest purpose is something you create. Existentialists emphasize choosing your own direction; others point to well-being, altruism, or spiritual growth. As Christians, we affirm that your purpose matters, but we also ground it in God. Disappointment often reveals what we were trying to control. Faith gently redirects our focus: not only on what we wanted to happen, but on what God is shaping in us through the waiting.In other words, faith helps you say, “What I can’t change, I can bring to God. What I can’t find in results, I can find in obedience, character, and love.”When disappointment tempts us toward bitterness, faith calls us to practice wise “rules of life”: make peace with your past, stop comparing yourself, give it time, and don’t surrender your joy to other people’s opinions. These aren’t just self-help tips, they’re pathways of trust.And faith doesn’t only comfort; it also motivates. Altruistic purpose, serving others, building up your community, can restore dignity when your own dreams fall short.Ecclesiastes still names pain: a time to search and a time to give up. But Christian faith doesn’t leave us there. It teaches that God can heal what disappointment breaks, and that love never loses its meaning, even when the outcome hurts.Jesus went through real suffering on the cross – He is one with his followers, He has been there. Let’s continue to follow our saviour.So when the world echoes “What’s the point?”, faith answers with a deeper truth: God is still at work, and your life is still held in His hands.3 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3) Brian Leathers June 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
