Zetland Park Methodist Church Pastoral Letters
‘All the big occasions in the Church’s calendar are over, for yet another year’
It could be argued that ‘all the big occasions in the Church’s calendar are over, for yet another year’ ----- and to a certain extent that is precisely correct, if you count the Church’s year from the beginning of the Advent season. But surely this will give the impression, if we follow that dictum, that we simply and only function, at certain times of the year.
I can hear some folk saying in response, ‘Oh I thought that was ALL we did!’ There are many, too many, both within and outside the Church who TRULY feel that way ---- they move from ‘festival to festival’ ---- taking the cream, and forgetting that the raw materials have to be collected, processed and made presentable before the big event!
There will be those who will be rebuffed by this manufacturing metaphor, but surely that is what we are about when we study Scripture; join in Fellowship; share in Worship and participate in the Sacraments? The raw materials are around; we mix them together in a variety of quantities and potions. There are fed in the essential elements of God’s Love and Sacrifice; His commission and future plans, but we too have a part to place as we respond to the mixture and be re-made to the ‘glory of God’.
Some of us come weary like sacks of cocoa beans from Africa to the chocolate factory. As beans we are nothing much, but we have value, and without that essential ingredient there is no final product. The beans are processed carefully according to age-old processes that have proved their worth down the years.
We come raw from the world into a situation of love and care. We may feel worthless, but in the eyes of God and His people, everyone has ‘value’, and God Himself deems that ‘value’ precious. Now that’s a good start! We begin to mix with those who share and shape our thinking and perception of ‘faith’. We seek to listen to the Word and share in the music, traditional, spiritual, and modern. We learn how ‘our faith’ can be developed more deeply through Holy Communion --- about the sacrifice of God’s Son for our sins and the way to something beyond our imaginings ---- eternal life.
The end product in the chocolate factory is always eagerly awaited by all ---- young and not so young --- and it comes to the retail unit in a whole variety of shapes; sizes; flavours, and containing as many extra bits that the manufacturer determines.
So with us ----- we are not all the same. We each have our distinctive mark that makes us ‘special in God’s sight’. The talents we have also make us different and they need to be honed for God’s service.
So, when we are presented to ‘the outside world’ as a ‘product of God’s love; proved by His Resurrection; empowered by His Spirit’, what are we going to look like? Have a look in the mirror ---- yes, no different physically, but like a good chocolate, its what is inside which can make all the difference!
Is your life changing through an encounter with God in worship?
Can your life be change through a regular encounter with God through
worship?
Will you allow God to change your life through worship?
Oh, by the way, we have not stopped the process at Pentecost nor Trinity, the shop is open all the time to receive, process and present in Jesus’ Name.