Making the most of the journey As April begins, in the church, we come to the end of our Lenten journey to the foot of the cross on Good Friday, in anticipation of our joyful celebrations of Easter 3 days later. Our Lenten journey is one of reflection, penitence and understanding a little more of what it means to ‘Pick up our crosses, and follow Jesus.’ It is a sobering pilgrimage, but if we make the most of the journey, then the celebrations on Easter day are even more special, and full of hope, as we remember all that Jesus has done for us, so that we can know that our sins are forgiven, and we have new and eternal life in him. But so often in life, we find ourselves searching out the quickest way to get from A to B and loose sight of the fact the journey is all part of how we get to our destination in the first place. In our rush, is there a risk we might miss something important along the way? By the middle of April, I will be getting ready to head off on my three months Extended Study Leave, or Sabbatical, for want of a better word, and as part of that Sabbatical, I will be going to Santiago in Portugal, but I intend to make the most of the journey, and go by foot, walking the 488 mile route from France, over the Pyrenees and then across Spain. This is a trip, that is as much about the journey, as it is about the destination. I hope that by the journey, I will shaped and changed, as I take the time to slow down, to learn a different pace and just enjoy being in Gods wonderful creation and the great outdoors. As I journey, I am looking forward to the encounters I may have with fellow pilgrims along the way, and I am reminded of the disciples, being joined by Jesus on that first Easter day, as they journeyed by foot to Emmaus. And so my encouragement this Easter time, is for us all, to slow down from all the rushing, and actually make the most of the journey, less we miss the most important thing. May God Bless you this Easter time, and I look forward to sharing my sabbatical experiences, when I return in July. Reverend Heather
Hope springs eternal Have you ever noticed how many idioms, have the word ‘Spring’ in them. For example, we might say, someone has a ‘spring in their step’, when they are walking energetically or with liveliness, or we might need to ‘spring into action’ and start doing something quickly or suddenly, when we hear an alarm bell ringing for example. We might say that we have ‘spring fever’, by which we mean a feeling of restlessness of excitement felt at the beginning of spring as we look forward to spending more time outdoors. This restlessness of course, may also lead us to a bit of ‘spring cleaning’, and sometimes we might hear someone say, that someone is ‘no spring chicken’, perhaps meaning someone who is not so young as they used to be. As Spring has now sprung, I wonder what it is about spring, that lends itself so readily to so many sayings, and I guess, there is something around the freshness and newness of spring. Having just gone through the darkest, coldest season, with trees bereft of leaves, as Spring arrives, it feels like we have turned a corner and there is a fresh sense of hope in the air, which is sure to put a spring in our step. Our gardens and countryside are slowly being transformed as creation works its wonders, hedgerows are taking on a subtle green hew, that over the coming weeks and months will grow stronger, the spring bulbs are bravely breaking through the ground and bringing life and colour back, and soon there will be more and more lambs springing merrily across the fields. Which reminds me of another idiom, ‘hope springs eternal’. In this season of spring, we are reminded that hope springs eternal, hope never dies, there is always hope. As we look around us and see so many signs of new life, our hope is renewed. And I am reminded that in Lamentations we are told, ‘The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.’ (Lamentations 3:22-23) Hope springs eternal. I pray that as you travel through this season of Spring, with all its signs of new life and hope, that you will take hope in the steadfast love of the Lord. May God Bless you Heather
