There are so many voices in the world today, it makes me wonder which one should we should listen to. On top of our inner often negative voices of doubt and fear, there is also a cacophony of external voices on the news, television and social media feeds. We can live in dread of what tomorrow can bring, we can fear what is going on in the world. Wars and famine are raging, as well as freak weather systems wreaking havoc. We (well, certainly I) can feel totally impotent and vulnerable. Politics is polarised, news readers and media folk chomp at the bit to get a scoop on the 24-hour news feed. Should running a country and our lives be about sound bites and PR? Being a good speaker helps, in fact, having a voice that engages the people has been important even in biblical times. Moses wasn’t a confident speaker, and he called for someone to speak for him, and his brother Aaron took that role. Moses spoke to God; God spoke to Moses and Aaron spoke to the people. People were amazed by Jesus too. They said that he spoke like one with authority unlike the religious leaders of the time. Jesus also spoke in parables, telling stories to get his message across, I suppose you could say that he made himself relevant. But is having a voice, a charisma, the only thing that matters? I wonder what words of wisdom these people would have for us today. Certainly, wars and famine were not uncommon in biblical times, to be honest, I wonder whether there has been a century or even a decade in the history of humanity without a war going on somewhere. I am reading a book called “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry”1. It talks about slowing down, simplifying our lives, not falling for all the talk but getting down to basics, what life is really all about. Jesus in his thirty-three short years lived a life. At every turn he cared about the people in front of him, he wasn’t swayed by the latest political regime, he cared about the individual, those who were rejected, with no place to turn, those with not enough money to get by, the vulnerable, the elderly, those who were sick. He gave them his time and attention. He wasn’t in a rush. He took time. He prayed. He laughed. He wept. He made a difference. What are we rushing to? I wonder if we stopped and noticed those around us - our partner, our family, our neighbours - I wonder what kind of difference that would make to this world we are living in. Sarah Smith 1 Cromer, John Mark, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, 2021, (London, Hodder & Stoughton)
As I have sat and reflected, there is one word that keeps popping up, and that is change. September sees the change from metrological summer to metrological autumn. But we do not need to be told this, as we can usually spot this from the changes to our environment with the leaves on the trees starting to change colour. The leaves of our oak tree have started that process already. Also, the nights draw in and it gets darker earlier. But change is more than this, it is said that change can be for the better or indeed for the worse. Most of the news reports show change of one sort or another, but mostly for the worse. Our newspapers and media news show us dramatically the change that people throughout the world are having to cope with and first up it is coping with the change brought about by conflict and war, with Ukraine and Gaza usually at the forefront. The lives of so many have been changed through the destruction of their homes, with some being displaced time and time again. They also have to face change because of the loss, or injury to loved ones and of course in Gaza, change because of the lack of basic commodities such as food and shelter. But there are still other places where conflict and war are happening but these do not hit the headlines as much. Then change is brought about due to nature and how some interact with it, change and suffering because of wild fires in America and southern Europe. People are faced with change due to health issues and many more things in this country too. I preached recently on the text of Luke 12.32-40, where we are told to build up treasure in heaven, as where our treasure is then that is where our hearts will be. The distractions of the 21st century will abundantly take our mind away from our vocation to follow God’s will. But in essence the rest of the passage is about readiness, being ready for when God calls us to do his work. Ready to help people and this will usually be when they face change due to one thing or another. We can’t be fully prepared for this as we will never know what the various situations we are called into will entail, but we need to be ready all the same.Finally, the people of the Benefice face change as the next round of advertising for a new Rector is now live. We hope and pray that we are successful and find a new Rector, but we do not know what changes this may bring about for our parishes, churches and indeed people. We hope and pray that in this instance it will be a positive change allowing us to grow in faith and strength to do God’s calling and minister to one another’s needs and the needs of the world. John Underhill
“I hear you’re retiring.” This remark has been made by countless people in recent weeks. And yes, in July I retire from my role as Assistant Minister of the Benefice of Adbaston, High Offley, Knightley, Norbury, Woodseaves, Gnosall and Moreton. Why? Simply because I have passed the age at which clergy may continue in office in the Church of England. It will be my second retirement in recent years. The first was when I retired as a chaplain in health and social care. For almost 20 years I had the privilege of offering support to older people, including many with dementia or severe and enduring mental health conditions. In that time, I met some amazing people and learned a great deal about living well with dementia. Retirement from the Benefice means that I shall hang up my clerical robes and put away my clerical collars for a few months. Later in the year I may be given ‘permission to officiate’ and be able to take a limited number of services. I have no plans, though, to move from the house in Gnosall we bought in 2018 after my husband’s retirement. For some, retirement is an exciting prospect – a season of opportunity and possibility. But it can also be daunting and disorientating. Now that I’m retired, who am I? Who might I become? And what will I do? Family and friends who are long-retired leave me in no doubt that retirement marks a significant transition in life. We may face the loss of a role we’ve had for all or most of our working life and the status it brought. With work no longer providing a place to meet people, we may have to find new ways of making meaningful social connections. Retirement presents the challenge of adjusting to a fixed income. We need to be realistic about our ability to maintain our homes and gardens as we’ve done in the past. If health becomes an issue we may face tough decisions about where we live. Navigating the journey of retirement will take me time, especially as activities that give me a sense of purpose are closely linked to the church. Like all retirees I shall need to find a new rhythm of daily life. Yet I’m grateful that I won’t, like many clergy, be moving from church accommodation to a home of my own in a new area. Retirement is not simply stopping work; it is the beginning of a phase where we rethink how we spend our time. We may hope to reconnect with passions and interests that have taken a backseat during recent years. Years ago, I fancied the idea of learning Welsh in retirement. I also thought I might take up the organ again. Now, though, my goals are more modest: to return to a choir, take regular exercise and spend time with family and friends. I firmly believe that retirement does not mean the end of significance and meaning for our lives. Our role may change but we still have responsibilities and opportunities to serve. Whatever our age and stage in life, we are held in God’s love. Moreover, God has plans and purposes for us. So with the writer of Psalm 71 we can trust our future to God’s care. O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and grey hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to all the generations to come. Your power and your righteousness, O God, reach the high heavens. Revd Cathy Dakin
