‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined.’   (Isaiah 9:2)

It seems there is light at the end of the tunnel at last, with the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine (or many vaccines, take your pick).  It’s a tribute to human ingenuity in science, technology, logistics and finance, and we have reason to be very thankful.

And light at the end of the tunnel is so welcome!  Not many people have enjoyed this last year.  Although I’ve suffered no personal or material loss, I have to say I’ve found it unremittingly bleak and negative, like living through a dystopian science fiction film.  I can’t find any consolation of the ‘it’s lovely to hear the birds sing’ kind.  I just see untold harms, many of which are not even apparent yet.

But perhaps we have shared a glimpse, for a rare moment in our lives, of a something experienced vividly by many people throughout history, and many people living in the world today.  Now we know a little more of what it means to dwell in the land of the shadow of death.

As the church year moves from Advent into Christmas, we live out the symbolism of moving from darkness to light.  Advent is a time for longing and waiting and hoping.  It’s as we sit in the darkness with our feelings of anxiety, powerlessness, anger and grief that we invest our hopes in the arrival of Jesus in the stable in Bethlehem.   And with his birth, we look beyond the end of the tunnel, with much broader horizons.  Christmas gives us hope not just of relief from the miseries of 2020, but for an end to all sorrow, all suffering, all fear, even an end to death itself, through the coming of the one who is the light of the whole world.

‘Fear not, for I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.’  (Luke 2: 10-11)

Paul Tennyson

September – New beginnings

This is a time of new beginnings  -  the beginning of the Methodist Year  -  many ministers will be starting in a new church and circuit today.  We ask your blessing on them all, remembering particularly Rev Sally Jones beginning her work in our circuit in charge of the churches at Warwick, Wellesbourne and Whitnash.  We also ask your blessing on ministers who have taken retirement and are starting a very different life.

We remember that it is also the beginning of the academic year.  Small children will be going to school for the first time;  others will be moving from primary to big school  -  this can be a difficult time.  We pray for them all.  We pray for those who have left school and will be moving on to university or college, or beginning an apprenticeship or job.  Many will be leaving home for the first time.   We pray that you will be with them on the next part of their journey.

We pray for all teachers as they begin the new academic year.  They will face many additional challenges, coping with the results and problems associated with the pandemic, and going forward in the hope that this coming year will prove to be better than the last.   

We pray for our church and its community as we begin to open up more, to make plans and move forward with care into the future into new challenges.  We pray that you will help us to find the courage to find new ways to ‘be church’ which we can share with our community.

We remember and pray for members of our congregation who are struggling with illness.  We ask your blessing on them and their families.  Amen.

Jo Parkinson