A QUESTION OF FAITH

Presiding Minister, St Mary’s Church, Hinckley

IT’S hard to believe, isn’t it? It’s been six months since we were all locked down, and now slowly but surely we are returning to our places of worship.

At St Mary’s Church, we have been worshipping in a new and strange way since August 4th.

Like the rest of the world, we have had to adapt to the aggressive ebbing and flowing of the virus and today offer worship, without singing, without shaking hands, without a closeness that the people of Christ are known for. When we are faced with challenges in life, we seek to find comfort in the known, in routines and in patterns, and so, I guess we all would like to return to ways of worshipping that we knew and loved, but that is not going to be the case for probably another year.

We are still coming together though, masks on, socially distanced and unable to embrace each other, but we are here and that’s a big part of who we are as Christians. A people gathered to worship their Christ.

We, like you and everyone else, have faced the reality, have adapted and will overcome in order to be the people of Christ he wants us to be; prayerful, present for each other, and prepared to serve the community in which we live.

The sands are shifting all the time with Covid-19, there are governmental changes on a weekly basis, but as Christians, one thing is sure, we have built our lives on a solid foundation; the teachings of Jesus Christ.

His teaching sets us free to be all that we can be and in setting us free we can live each day as it comes in the sure and certain knowledge that he walks with us and wants the best for us. Whatever comes our way we can always be confident of God’s help, strength and love to be with us in our difficulties.

To be able to turn to Him and not have to face things on our own, brings peace and reassurance. This is one of the great blessings of the Christian life. It also brings us closer to God and enables us to show God’s love to others.

I pray that whatever comes your way that you may know Christ’s love and joy and peace.