A Word From the Manse...

What a wonderful world!

Dear friends, 

What a wonderful world! These words will bring a tune to mind for many people. The lyrics sung by the great jazz musician Louis Armstrong speak  to the heart! 

I see trees of green and red roses too... skies of blue and clouds of white, the bright blessed day, the dark sacred night, and I think to myself,  what a wonderful world.

- And, really, when we consider the world, this is primarily how we should view it:  As God’s creation, ours to treasure and care for.

But you may respond: What about the terrible things going on at present? What about the awful suffering in Afghanistan, in Haiti or the conflicts between Palestine and Israel? Look at the effects  of the pandemic on the economy, the poor, our children, the NHS and our lives. As the COP 26 summit of governments in Glasgow approaches to consider Global warming, we can sense a depressing  urgency in the melting of the ice caps and abuse of fossil fuels.

You're right. It can be hard to sing “It’s a wonderful world”. There are catastrophes here, there, and everywhere. It can seem overwhelming,  leaving little room for sentimentality. 

So as Christians, how should we respond?

Let us be people of optimism! Yes... Collectively as humans, we really have done much to harm the world and its people. Yet, the good surely outweighs the bad. As people of faith, we can count many blessings and discover hope. In our call to care for the world and love humanity, God gives us the means to view everything through a prism of love. This makes a difference.

Love is at  the heart of our Faith because God is love.

The French philosopher Simone Weil wrote: "To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul." My advice is to be rooted in God’s love. Not only will the world appear more beautiful, but you will have the means to transform its sorrows into joy. 

With Every Blessing 
Rev Steven

​