FROM THE MANSE

Contents

As I cycled round on the Beds & Herts Historic Churches Bike ride a number of things occurred to me, apart from how hilly our area is!

Firstly it was how many churches there are in a relatively small area, I would estimate that most people would be no further than a mile or a half from a church. That is an easy drive and a not too difficult walk for most. However, we take for granted the fact that we can easily get to church in the UK. How different it is from other areas of the world, where Christians walk many miles over difficult terrain, sometimes in extremes of weather, to come together to worship.

We take our freedom to worship for granted too. Some will now be aware of the dreadful persecution of Christians in Pakistan by a minority of Al-Qaeda-backed militant Muslims. By the time you read this, one of the church members from Trinity will have taken money raised by Trinity, the circuit and our own church to help to try and rebuild homes and the church in Gojra. Dr Patrick Sookhdeo is the director of the Barnabus charity which campaigns on behalf of the persecuted church, and he has said:

“In the midst of the spiralling anti-Christian violence in Pakistan, our appeal is to Christians around the world to stand with our brothers and sisters at their time of need. Please pray and, if you are able, give a donation to meet the practical needs of the homeless, injured and bereaved.”

We can become better informed about the persecuted church, and this information will hopefully move us to prayer and action.

Another thought that came to me was the variety of Christian churches that open their doors to this event. It was fascinating to see inside churches that I might have driven past time and time again, from the splendid interior of Holy Rood RC church on the ring road, to the beauty of the modern stained glass window over the altar in the Anglican church of St Michael and All Angels by Cassiobury Park. One in particular, impressed me, though, and that was the simplicity of the Friends Meeting room, set amongst peaceful gardens. They were having an open day, and offered weary cyclists tea and cakes that was most welcome. The quietness of a Quaker meeting is not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’, but personally I have been greatly blessed by occasional lunchtime meetings that I attended whilst in Cambridge. However, for me, my love of our tradition of Methodist hymnody would mean that every service spent in silence could be difficult. It is good though, to try to experience different traditions, so we can value our diversity, yet celebrate that what joins us together is worshiping one God, who loved us so much that He gave His Son to show us the way back to the Father.

We will have an opportunity later this month both to give thanks for our diversity and also to celebrate our togetherness as we host the CTAL Songs of Praise. This will be at 7.30 on October 18th in our church, and I do hope that you will put the date in your diaries now. (Lifts will be available if required.) By worshiping together as Christians within Abbots Langley we can show by example that there is far more that unites than divides us, and hopefully spread the good news of God’s love to others within our village.

Every Blessing

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To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Ecclesiastes, Ch 3 v 1