If you are in the U.K. you will have likely been blessed with some amazing summer weather this week! In our latest blog episode, Jude shares how a traditional British seaside sweet treat reminds her of the love of Jesus.
Hi everyone!
I hope you are all managing to enjoy some of the sunshine this week and into the weekend. Sunshine after a cold windy Spring always seems to bring a smile to people's faces and I was struck walking to Church from Bakers Hill, how busy our lovely park is. On Sunday, cars were packed with children, offloading picnics, towels, bathers and balls. Its precious family time and hopefully full of fun and laughter.
It's to that summer family time that I want to focus on for a moment.
Our lovely Ordinand Sarah mentioned that old fashion summer treat of a stick of rock a few weeks ago and it has sat with me ever since. It's the bright coloured rock, the white inside and the lettering that runs right through the middle.
In our Small Group, we have been thinking about how we tell our faith story to others, how we explain how Jesus has transformed and continues to transform our lives, improving something flawed and very human, to a better version.
One of the recurring comments, was how when each of us entered St George and St Paul's for the first weeks, we were touched by the family feel of the people gathered there. And I remember so vividly that growing feeling of being surrounded by people who cared for each other, who looked out for each other in good times and tough times. It was truly a church family, the likes of which I had never seen before. This feeling was echoed by all of us in the group in some way. For some it was instantaneous, for others slower but still there.
It's as if it is rock but running through the middle is the love of Jesus, holding all, unchanging, never fading like that writing. We might chip bits off, but in the centre it is always there with each of us and tangible every time we meet, in our words our care and our support, not only for those inside the building but outside too in our community.
Our hearts go out to those at the moment who face tough times in our church family, or to those who are perhaps just dipping a toe in the water to see what doing Church and faith is like.
The rock of Jesus is what we cling on to, it is our centre and what gives us all life and love.
I hope each one of you feel that in some way this week!
Go well,
Jude Licensed Lay Minister
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