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Rev. Carol Harvey
November
November
Dear Parishioners,
How are you at ‘letting go’? You may say, “Letting go of what? What do you mean?” There are many things in life that get us down, stop our progress, make us unsettled or unhappy. Perhaps we have to make an important decision that will change our future, or there is something in the past that we just cannot let go. Maybe a health issue or a fear of some kind.
I am not really talking here about grief or bereavement; we can understand how that can pull us down, although the same principles apply. I am talking about those times that we are unaware of what’s wrong, that anything’s wrong even! Maybe someone keeps asking us what’s wrong, or telling us we don’t seem like ourselves (always a strange thing that, who could we possibly seem like?). Anyway, I expect you all know what I’m talking about. We have all had those times when we just know we are not ‘at ourselves’.
I was speaking in the nursing homes lately about autumn leaves. You know how lovely it is to crunch through those leaves when they are crisp and crunch under you feet. It struck me the trees, a wonderful part of God’s creation, can show us just how natural it is to let go, as they gracefully let go of their leaves. So, as always, we can turn to our Creator for help. In Isaiah 43:18-19 we read, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” One of my favourites is Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” These are words which bring us comfort - healing words. God wants healing for each one of us, healing which encompasses physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing.
We were blessed last month to have Kris Kramer, the new Director of the Acorn organisation, visiting with us. Our Vicar is a trustee of Acorn, and we operate a “Healing Hub” in our church. We have parishioners with a heart for the healing ministry, who have completed a year long course through the Acorn Healing Academy, and we have another few church members who are enrolled in the current Academy. So we can say that our parish has a heart for, and is a centre for, healing ministry. We offer healing prayer after every service. Have you ever availed of this opportunity? Maybe you are saying I don’t have any illnesses. Healing prayer is for body, mind and spirit. There’s not one of us that couldn’t benefit from prayer. So please don’t hesitate - pray for yourself or for a loved one. There are many opportunities in your church to come for healing, and if you don’t see a time that suits you, help is just a phone call away. Remember God, whose greatest desire is to be in a loving relationship with us, wants healing for each one of us - body, mind and spirit.
Every blessing and much love to you all,
Carol
OCTOBER
OCTOBER
Reflections from the Glebe House
“I was just thinking...
...My sabbatical seems a long way away now!”
I’ve now been back at work for over a week, and with it being September, it feels as if I have hit the ground running and never been away! It’s been lovely to see everyone again and begin to think forward as to what God wants for Carnmoney as we move into the autumn. I shared a taster of what I’ve been doing over the last four months on my first Sunday back in church and will be speaking in more depth at the Community Friendship Club (8th October), the Men’s Group (10th November), and the Mothers’ Union (25th November). All these meetings are open meetings if you would like to come along and hear more (and see lots of photographs!).
This last year, I have been asked often what a sabbatical is and why I needed one (“After all, vicars only work one day a week don’t they?!”). Well, there is a sense that the busyness and pressures of work can, over the years, begin to take over, leaving the feeling that you are on a bit of a treadmill with the continuous rounds of visiting, preparation, preparing sermons, community meetings and all the other expectations that being a vicar brings. It has been wonderful for me to spend time off that treadmill over the last few months, and I’ve had more time to think, pray and rest, which will hopefully set me up again for the next few years of ministry here at Carnmoney.
There’s an interesting story in Mark’s gospel where Jesus sends his disciples out on mission, a mission that is hugely successful. The disciples return telling Jesus about all the wonderful miracles they have seen as God worked through them. They really were full of enthusiasm and raring to go out again. But what does Jesus say to them - not to go out to the next village and carry on whilst God is working, but, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest for a while.” This was a principle he lived himself, often leaving his disciples to go off on his own and pray and also spending time with his friends Martha, Mary and Lazarus. He knew he couldn’t keep giving out without spending a corresponding time taking in.
If that was true for Jesus (and incidentally also God, who rested on the seventh day after creating the world), how much more important is it for us mortals to maintain those healthy balances of work, rest and play! Maybe for those of you who are retired it comes easier, but for me (and possibly for others who work), I’m learning (often the hard way) that my ministry will be much more effective now I’m back at work if I intentionally work these regular pauses into my life and seek those things that restore me and fill me up again. Carving out time each day to sit down with God and my bible is a vital part of this, but also simple things like going for a walk or a run amidst all the clamours of work really help to keep me going.
And as we move forward, I am convinced that, despite the fact that we are an ageing congregation and live in a society which is largely oblivious to the concept of faith and the relevance of God and the church to their lives, we do have a vital message to tell people - simply that God loves and accepts them and wants to be involved in their lives. Hopefully we can shape our church life to make sharing that message easier (and yes, I have returned with a few ideas!), but it needs to be a team effort with everyone who considers themselves a member of Carnmoney offering their time, gifts and money and playing a part in the life of our church. So as we move forward under God’s guidance and seek to grow our church, please do ask yourself what part you can play in the work of God in our community and what contribution you can offer to the life of your church?
Andy
Rev. Andy Heber
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