Thought For The Week

CREATING COMMUNITIES OF WHOLENESS WITH CHRIST AT THE CENTRE

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24 November

CHRIST THE KING

Luke 23.33-43

If you want paradox then what about this - that God should choose to be human, that a King should be born in a stable, that a Messiah should die a terrorist's death on a cross. Its bizarre and incredible, but yet it all happened. Because God's ideas of logic are not like ours and because it was the only way that he could save us from the mess that we were making and are continuing to make. What are you willing to do for those who you love? How do you respond to all that God has given to you?

18 NOVEMBER

WARS, RUMOURS OF WARS, PERSECUTIONS AND BETRAYAL

Luke 21.5-19

If ever anyone has told you that its an easy life being a Christian then try reading this passage from Luke to them! Its a spin-doctors nightmare! It's also the daily reality of Christian life for too many people around the world who suffer and are persecuted for their faith. In North Swindon we face a different kind of threat, that of indifference and apathy. Yet for us, just as much as for Christians in Southern Sudan, Northern Nigeria or in Israel and Palestine there remains the call to be ready to stand up and explain the 'hope that is in us', what we believe and why we believe and how that transforms our lives and our world. And we don't do it alone, neither the suffering not the testimony, we do it together and with God.

If someone came up to you in the street tomorrow and said: Do you believe in God' what would you say?

If the next question you were asked was: 'why have you said what you have said? would you be able to answer?

11 NOVEMBER

REMEMBRANCE

In the rugged and wild far North West Highlands, just above the village of Kylesku [incidentally the only place where I have ever used a manual petrol pump] there is a simple war memorial - one of thousands that are spread across our land. This one commemorates the men of the Special Boat Sqadron who used the dark and deep waters of Lochs Glendhu and Glencoul that spread out into the mountains from Kylesku to prepare and train for their role in the Second World War. Then, beneath the principal inscription there is another sentence that reads 'and to the local people who knew so much and said to little'.

As we gather together wearing our poppies to keep silence at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month we remember not only those who have fought and died for our country in the world wars and in too many conflicts since, but also those who watched and prayed and waited at home, and those who still watch and pray and wait for loved ones fighting in our armed services.

4 NOVEMBER

ALL SAINTS, ALL SOULS AND HALLOWEEN

It's time to remember the dead! But where and when did it all start.

In Celtic Britain, before the arrival of Christianity there was a festival in late October to give thanks for the harvest - pumpkins were especially used as symbols of the harvest. The Romans arrived and merged that with two festivals, one again giving thanks for harvest and linking with the Goddess Pomona who is remembered for her links with Apple Trees, and one when they remembered the dead walking. The in the sixth centaury the Church moved All Saints day or all Hallow's Day [when we remember all the saints of God] to the first day of November, and All Souls day [when we remember those who we love who have died] began to be marked on 2nd November.

Harvest is now a festival in its own right, but we're left with All Hallow's Eve [now Halloween] when we remember the dead walking, All Hallow's Day [All Saints Day] when we celebrate the saints of God, and All Souls Day when we remember those who have died.

Amidst our business of life its good and important to remember the dead, those who we have known and loved and those beyond our knowledge. It's good to have a chance to grieve and to give thanks. There's also little harm in getting pleasantly scared at Halloween. But as we remember and celebrate we also remember what God calls us all to, be part of the community of Saints, loving God, serving God, and sharing our faith through our lives and our words with those around us.
We are the body of Christ and the saints of God.

If you'd like to find out more about all of this email Mike Haslam.