January 2010

Dear Friends,
We have just celebrated the Christmas message: God with us, God one of us, the ultimate act of involvement in the world.

As we go into the New Year, may I offer three ways in which we too can reciprocate by getting more involved in the world?

We might begin with what we find on our own doorstep. We will each have our own reasons but for those in the parish who are Christians there need be no further incentive than Jesus’ teaching that we are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, with all of our soul, with all of our mind, with all of our strength – and to love our neighbour as ourselves. We can grow and develop local friendships and commit ourselves caring and supporting others – as individuals or through churches and other community organisations. Perhaps the New Year will give us all a fresh determination to look out for, and to look after, the most vulnerable in our community.

Later in the year we have the opportunity to be involved in another specific way, as another General Election will be called. From what people tell me I know that many are still angry about MPs’ expenses scandal (although we need to be careful not to tar them all, including our own honest MP, with the same brush). In the meantime much of what is written in the national newspapers appears to focus on our leaders’ personal faults rather than the serious debate about the future. We need to be talking about the issues facing our community and raising the questions we think are important. Many of us are rightly concerned about the impact of extremist politicians, but although I was very uncomfortable throughout Nick Griffin's appearance on ‘Question Time’ last year, if his appearance proves to have shown up the maliciousness of his arguments, whilst also shaking the 'great' British public free of our political apathy, then it may just have been a good thing.

Finally, this time last year, I wrote here about keeping things simple, commenting that we are called by Jesus Christ to be child-like, to have a simple trust that our lives are in God’s hands, not our own. I think ‘keep it simple’ is worth saying again. If we bring our burdens and worries to God in prayer, and ask him to walk with us, then not only are our burdens shared but by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts we find rest and peace. If we focus on our relationship with Christ, then other things assume their proper perspective.

So here are my New Year resolutions: becoming more involved in the world this year through caring, voting, and praying. What are yours?

A Happy New Year to you all.

Chris Hollingshurst