admin, Author at Emmanuel Methodist Church, Ormskirk

For Everything There Is a Season

As I write this letter my thoughts are very much on the fabric of the Church building as we consider how best to move forward with the repairs and refurbishment. Recently we had a trip to Liverpool on the train. As you come out of the station at Ormskirk and walk up the hill, you cannot fail to be impressed by the majestic building in front of you. The land on which Emmanuel stands was originally bought from the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in the 1870’s. In its classic Gothic style, with its tall tower, it continues to be a recognisable part of the Ormskirk townscape, visible for miles around.

But at this time of year, there is something else very beautiful, but almost hidden in the shadow of the building – a crop of snowdrops. If ever we wanted a sign and assurance that Spring will follow Winter, we have only to look at the snowdrops that appear, at times in the most unexpected of places.

The Book of Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that, “for everything there is a season, and a time for every activity under heaven.” In verse 11 we read how God “has made everything beautiful in its time.” Everything we have done, are doing, and seek to do is a beautiful part of the plans God has for us. It is God who continues to weave the threads that make up the tapestry of our lives in service to him.

As the seasons change, we experience the cyclical nature of our discipleship as we journey into Lent. The season of Lent is a time of prayerful reflection, a time when we can examine the thoughts of our hearts and minds as we focus upon the journey of Jesus to the pain and suffering of his crucifixion, and the glory and joy of his resurrection. It is a time for reflecting upon the past, evaluating the present and looking forward to the future in continued communion with Christ.

And so I pray that as a body of Christ’s followers, we will continue to reminisce together and learn from the past years of our heritage. I pray that we will take time to reflect upon how we seek to love God and serve our fellow neighbour in the world today. But I also pray that throughout that process, we will continue to encourage one another as we look forward to the beautiful future of our Church that God has planned for us, so that like our tower, which projects over our townscape, we too will continue to project God’s love into our local community and wider world.

May God continue to bless us all,

Sue

A Thought for December

Dear Friends,

As we recently gathered on Remembrance Sunday to honour all those who gave of their lives and suffered as a result of past wars, we looked to the past. We remembered especially those who died at the Somme in this the centenary year of the battle. This act of remembering drew us to a realisation of the present, of how many are still suffering today because of conflict and unrest. But then we looked again to words from the past, words that are a part of our present and give us hope for the future. In the Book of Isaiah chapter 9, verses 5-7 we read these wonderful words;
‘A child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore.’

This Christmas as we look at the sparkle of the beautiful trees in our Christmas Tree Festival, we will be encouraged to consider ‘The Spirit of Christmas’. As we reflect upon what Christmas is really all about, I encourage us all to consider past, present and future. There will be some in our community who may be grieving the loss of loved ones, whose memories of Christmas are not always happy ones. There will be some in our community for whom the present may be difficult, perhaps because of financial worries, who find themselves alone, or who are living in difficult domestic situations.

But for us as a Church family, the Spirit of Christmas is about helping the people around us to have hope for the future. It’s about offering practical support, it’s about prayer, it’s about telling and witnessing to the message of love and hope of the Prince of Peace, born in a lowly stable that we may know God’s presence in the world. That is the best present we can offer our fellow brothers and sisters.

In the new year we will have the opportunity to discern where God is leading us in 2017, how he hopes to guide and inform our future so that we can truly witness his love to one another and those of our community and the wider world. What a tremendous gift that is!

And so I pray that this Christmas we will all know the joy of the Christ child. May we know peace and love, and as we remember his birth, may we all feel ‘The True Spirit of Christmas’ in our hearts, not just at Christmas, but in the future days that are yet to come.

On behalf of myself, Mark, Rebecca, Alasdair, Chris, Ellie, Connor and Leana,
May we wish you all every Christmas blessing,

Sue

About admin

For Everything There Is a Season

A Thought for December