|
|
|
Park
Avenue Methodist Church, Park Avenue North, Northampton, NN3 2HT
::
01604 720624
Administrator - Alan Brett ::
Senior Stewards - Denise Turner, Liz Hale
office@parkavenue.org.uk | webmaster@parkavenue.org.uk |
|
|
Welcome
to Park Avenue Methodist Church - Online! |
|
|
|
..
|
|
|
|
|
||
Other
|
|
For
information regarding baptisms, weddings and funerals etc.
Please
contact us. Email -
office@parkavenue.org.uk
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Holidays, Anniversaries & The Church
01 Aug 2010 by Phil Taylor
|
 You will be reading this letter in the middle of what is for many people the holiday season.
For those fortunate enough to be able to get away it provides an opportunity to experience somewhere different and to enjoy a time of rest and recreation. I am looking forward to recharging my batteries whilst exploring some of the islands off the west coast of Scotland, namely on Coll, Tiree, Mull and Iona. They will provide an opportunity to get away from it all and hopefully to return home refreshed and renewed. All of us need such opportunities whether through going away on holiday or finding sufficient space in our daily lives to do something different and to find time to stop and stare.
As I write all that is in the future but my thoughts are also drawn to the weekend that has just passed and my experience of it. It was the weekend at which Andy Murray failed to make it to the Wimbledon final and the one in which England were notably absent from the World Cup quarter finals so my reflections have nothing to do with sporting triumph! My wife, Marian, and I have returned from sharing in a 40th Wedding Anniversary celebration that was held at St Deiniol’s Residential library in North Wales.
St Deiniol’s is the only residential library in the country and it was set up at the wish of William Gladstone, the 19th Century British Prime Minister, following his death. It is used by amongst others clergy and academics from all over the world and it is a place that we have enjoyed staying at in the past. The invitation came from our friends Bill and Andrenna. Marian first met Bill over 28 years ago when she went to Newcastle University to study Biblical Studies and Bill was one of the lecturers.
Bill and Andrenna had invited 40 of their friends to celebrate the occasion with them and because Bill has a reputation for “possibly being the most organised man in the universe” he had put together a full programme of events and activities for the weekend. Those activities gave us the opportunity to get to know one another in a whole variety of settings.
From visiting Gladstone’s library at Hawarden Castle, a walk around the local area, a harp recital by a renowned Welsh harpist, a visit to Ness Botanical Gardens, a Fire Work display last thing on Saturday evening, to an opportunity to share in Communion first thing on Sunday morning, with much eating in between the weekend was action packed and full of fun.
Whilst not exactly restful it was invigorating and exciting and has left us with memories that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.
At breakfast time on Sunday some of us were talking about the amazing mix of people from very diverse backgrounds who were gathered together. We would not have ordinarily been together but for one important thing. What we had in common was our friendship with Bill and Andrenna. A situation made possible by their amazing ability to make and sustain friendships across continents and across the years and a wonderful ability to make their friends feel special and important. So much so that some of the guests had travelled from the USA and Canada whilst others had come from all parts of the UK.
Amongst the guests there were members of their family, there were renowned Biblical scholars (for those of you who read Bible commentaries you may recognise the names James Dunn and Morna Hooker), there were former students as well as friends made whilst studying at Glasgow and Cambridge, there were believers and unbelievers, young and old. A fascinating mix of interesting individuals brought together through friendship. Indeed our own son, whom they have known from before he was born, counts himself one of their friends (in fact he is in more regular contact than we are, via Facebook) and followed some of the events of the weekend on their Facebook page.
I came away reflecting on the experience and I realised we had glimpsed an image of what the Church, at its best, can be, indeed is. People from a rich variety of backgrounds and experiences held together through the one relationship that we have in common, our relationship with God, through Jesus. A relationship that is possible because of God’s absolute commitment to us. We discover that we are in a relationship because we have in common the realisation that we are loved by God, that each of us is important and valued by God and is precious in God’s sight.
When that is central to our experience we discover anew the richness and excitement of being truly alive and belonging to one another. May that continue to be our experience in the months ahead when the memories of holidays fade and we are back in the midst of our often hectic lives and as we continue our journey of faith, wherever it may take us and whoever we may find ourselves journeying alongside.
God bless,
Phil Taylor |
|
|
<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next >> |
| |
|
Copyright
© JAWS 2005-2009 | webmaster@parkavenue.org.uk | Best viewed with
Internet Explorer at 800 x 600. |
| |
|