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Please find a link here to our bumper July & August 2022 magazine. You can now find paper copies of this in our two churches.

Inside the magazine you’ll find reports and updates from most of our groups along with prayers and reflections. There are also some thoughts from David Robinson who has just completed his Foundations in Ministry course and a request for an Eco church champion!

Plus the July & August 2022 magazine includes this letter from the Vicar, Dave Thompson…

A right time

Dear Friends

The month of August has traditionally been a time for refreshment and reflection. As a child it always meant time away from school and usually a week on holiday at Butlins.

August was named after the Roman Emperor Augustus, who reigned during the life of Jesus. Whilst in power, Augustus presided over the “Pax Romana” – Latin for Roman Peace. The Roman empire enjoyed a period of peace and stability. One of the consequences was that travel around the empire could be achieved easily and relatively safely.

Two other factors marked this time as a unique period in history. Firstly, both the Greek and Latin languages became widely used and understood. Secondly, whilst the official religious cult of the Emperor still existed there was a growing tolerance towards the Jews and other new religious movements.

This situation allowed the Christian Gospel to be spread throughout the Roman Empire. Freedom of travel meant that the first missionary journeys were easier to navigate. In addition, the widespread use of Greek meant that it was possible for the Scriptures to be recorded and passed on in a common language. Although the early Christians were still under threat of persecution, the faith was being transmitted across the region and receiving a sympathetic hearing.

This all meant that circumstances aligned themselves for what we can look back on and say was “the right time” for Christianity to develop.

This concept of “right time” is developed in the famous passage from Ecclesiastes Chapter Three. It is a part of the Bible that I have used on many occasions in my ministry.

Ecclesiastes 3

“For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.”

There is a right time for everything. On occasions there is a need to sit down and reassess our lives, our priorities and our preferences. There may be a right time to acknowledge the end of one phase of our lives and contemplate the beginning of another.

August is a good month to spend time in quiet reflection, meditation and prayer.

It is a good time to make future plans.
May God guide you as you seek His will for your life. With every blessing,
Dave

Many thanks to LiturgyTools.net for the cover image our July & August 2022 magazine..