Monthly message

Dear All

The root of the word ‘religion’ means ‘to see’, and the difference between a religious and a secular outlook on life is that the former encourages you to see your life as a gift, something given, something intended, and something with a purpose. If you see life as a gift in this way, you will value it, and seek to make the most of it. If however, you see life as having no purpose at all, as having no meaning and no direction, it will have very little value for you and what you do with your life won’t matter to you so much. I would suggest that the religious are those who ‘see’ that bit further, who have caught a glimpse of the mystery at the heart of existence, and who know beyond doubt that what they can see is not all there is.

Christian faith goes one further and says that this ‘something more’ has touched human history, embraced flesh and blood, the divine becoming human in order to bring humanity back to the divine. This is an astonishing claim, that He who created all that exists, somehow inhabited a human life, and through that human life, opened up a way for us to be connected with Him. Those who open up their lives to God in this way find a new, transformed life possible, made possible by the help of the Spirit of God. This is powerful, life-changing stuff, and all too often, churches makes it seem so prosaic and dull, and forget that their urgent task is to pray that others will come to know all this for themselves, and to pray too, for opportunities to speak positively of their faith in ways that that will attract and encourage others to want to know more. Many suspect that there is more to life than meets the eye. Those of us who know they are right need to tell them so – with the help of God’s Spirit and always encouraging each other as we do so.

Blessings, Ben

Ben’s Morning If you would like to speak with Rev Ben Haslam, our minister, he can be contacted using the following details at any time. Telephone 01392 256716 or email ben.haslam@btinternet.com . Additionally he hopes to be in the church hall at least one morning a month between 10.30 am and 12.00 noon and will very happy to speak with anyone in private. You don’t need an appointment, you can just turn up or, if you prefer, please telephone or email him in advance to make arrangements. In February he plans to be at the hall on the morning of Friday 15^th. As his work allows, he may also be there on other Friday mornings too.