We were delighted to welcome back local preacher Ian White after his sabbatical break. He called us to worship with words from Psalm 100 – the Lord is God and we are his people. We sang Christ triumphant ever reigning and Ian reflected on the life of its author, Michael Saward, a clergyman whose home was burgled in 1986, his family beaten and his daughter raped. We worship in a difficult world but Ian’s theme was Now is the time. Our organists Jill and Neil Barnett read to us from Psalm 46, God is with us, and Ecclesiastes 3, there is a time for everything and we must do the best we can.
We can’t alter time. It is finite and we must make the best use of it, making time for each other, to listen to others’ problems, give confidence and offer our time to volunteer our services. We must engage with the world’s critical challenges and make time for ourselves to pray, encourage, give thanks and be positive. As our church begins a new chapter now is the time to make a difference and to keep going.
Ian led prayers for the suffering, the hungry, mourners and the lost asking for guidance and power to do what we can. Our final hymn was Christ is alive! His spirit burns through this and every future age.