Greetings from ... the Auxiliary Minister
In her Christmas Message, Her Majesty the Queen spoke on two themes – the 400th Anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible, and Sport. She pointed out how the King James Bible had created a common ‘Church’ language that was acceptable to all denominations. This was a major achievement given the divisions that existed in the Church at that time. In the context of sport, the Queen spoke of how sporting events, especially the Commonwealth Games, brought people together from very different and diverse backgrounds. This coming together created real opportunities to share together and learn from one another.
In my second sermon in January this year, I spoke about how 2011 was going to involve changes in Calder Church. The continuing ill health of our minister Amelia, my own one year attachment to Calder, and the Presbytery Review of parishes all have implications for our future direction. I spoke in the service about ‘New Hope’ because irrespective of what the future brings, I have no doubt that Calder Church has the potential to embrace any change in a positive way. The one main challenge that we must address is how to be more ‘outward’ looking – engaging more with those members who don’t attend – engaging with people in our parish – engaging with the wider church family.
I believe that the success of anything that we set out to achieve in 2011 will depend on those two ingredients of the Queen’s message. As a Church family here in Calder and in our engagement with the wider Church we must have a common language - that of LOVE. As St Paul reminds the Church in Corinth, love is patient and kind, it’s not jealous or conceited or proud, it’s not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of wrongs, it’s not happy with evil but is happy with the truth, love never gives up, it’s faith, hope and patience never fails. Love is eternal. In everything that we do in 2011, love must be central in our thoughts and decision-making. That other ingredient is maybe not just sport, but organisations and activities that will bring people into contact with Calder Church and into contact with Christ, so that together we can share and learn from one another.
One of my highlights of 2010 was the Christmas morning service. I had a huge Christmas cracker packed with lots and lots of goodies. In amongst all of these items I had placed a tiny replica of the Baby Jesus in the manager. I was intending to point out how easily Jesus can get lost in everything that Christmas has become. You can imagine my shock when we pulled that cracker and everything fell to the ground and I couldn’t see where Jesus had landed! As I looked around wondering what to do, sudden one of the children proclaimed with real excitement, “Look I’ve found the Baby Jesus!” Thanks be to God!
I have shared many joys and sorrows with you over the last year and I hope and pray that 2011 will prove to be a good year for our Church Family and all connected to it. Above all, I hope that our common language of love and the growth of our organisations and activities will cause people to say with excitement and enthusiasm, “I’ve found the Jesus!”
Yours in His Service.
God Bless,
Roddy