Church letter

February 2025

Click for the church letter from January 2025

Stop, look around and appreciate what you have

How easy it is to take all that we have for granted; and to think that it will always be there.

Do we ever stop, in all the busyness of life, and think about what we have been blessed with?

Perhaps we ought to pause for a moment and consider all that we have; and take time to think about the situation of others in our country and around the world.

For example, over the Advent and Christmas period there is a star on the flagpole at the top of St George’s Church, which can be seen from miles away. When the wind picks up, the star has to be taken down; we don’t want the flagpole breaking and the star crashing to earth. Four times over that period the star had to come down and then go back up again; somebody climbing up and down the tower twice each time - what a hassle. But at least we had a star; we had a flagpole; there were people to take it down and put it up; and we could pay the electricity bill.

Or there was the busyness of the nine services in the benefice in 16 hours over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - exhausting. But at least we had the freedom to go and worship if we wanted to, unlike some Christian brothers and sisters in other parts of the world who would be ersecuted for worshipping together; we had a church to go to. Or the large number of family members (and their pets) staying over Christmas, eating and drinking us out of house and home. But at least we had family who wanted to come and spend Christmas with us.

We need to step back and appreciate what we do have, rather than taking all we have for granted or grumbling. Just look, nationally and internationally, at what others are having to deal with regarding the weather recently: snow causing roads to be closed, and sheep buried in drifts. Snowmelt and rain causing flooding, of homes and businesses; and people getting stuck in their cars in floodwater. The wildfires in Los Angeles County, and the destruction of so many properties. Neither wealth nor fame were protection from the devastation of the fires. At the time of writing, 153,000 people have had to be evacuated from their homes, the vast majority of whom, I suspect, never expected that would ever happen to them in the comfort of their homes, or the comfort of their normal daily lives.

Or think of what other families in the world are dealing with as war and bombardments shatter their homes, businesses and lives. Think of the people of the Ukraine and of Gaza; many of them just ordinary families, trying to go about their daily lives, like you and me.

Be grateful for what you have: a roof over your head, warmth, food, family, friends, perhaps a faith. And count your blessings.

Revd David Commander, Rector and Area Dean