Dear Scargillians
We are still hoping to open in October and there will be another MailChimp coming out next weekend with further details – so watch out for this! We are so much looking forward to welcoming you back. You can be sure of a warm welcome in a place that is ‘Covid-secure’. Each programme event will have limited spaces available to book.
We are doing two ‘Renew, Refresh Restore Quiet Days’ on Zoom either this Thursday 17th September or Saturday 26th September (10am to 4:30pm). We will be looking at the gift of the Holy Spirit, and this will be led by Philip and Phil. These are bookable through our website (please do not use the hello@ e-mail to book these events).
This September we still have open the opportunity to make a Day Visit. For details of how to book please go to here.
We value very much praying for you so please send any prayer requests to: prayer@scargillmovement.org
Here is Di’s latest reflection. Since she wrote this, Phil has managed to spectacularly break his glasses and so is waiting eagerly to receive a new pair! :+)
Diane writes:
Phil had to go for a regular eye test last week. Which is fine except we couldn’t find his glasses. We searched everywhere, under every table and chair or so we thought, looking but apparently not seeing. As my Nan would have said “You can’t see the Wood for the trees!” although for us she may well have said ‘You can’t see the glasses for the toys, the mess and the washing!’ Our only excuse being that it was the day after a fortnight of having our children and grandchildren here – in distanced dribs and drabs, which was great. Oh, and we did find the glasses, just in time!
An interesting fact – I have discovered that the origin of this phrase comes from Bath, in England. It refers to a concourse of houses that were designed by the architect John Wood. There was a tree planted directly in front of these houses, and it grew quite large. So people began to exclaim: “You can’t see the Wood for the tree!”
This adage also speaks about being so involved and concerned with all the small details (the trees) of a situation that we are unable to get a clear overview of the whole situation (the wood) and so often lose perspective. And as autumn approaches, or has it already settled itself in, with the ever changing COVID guidelines and the differing information we are receiving I am beginning to ‘lose the plot’. I can’t see clearly anymore, the negative seems to have overtaken the positive and instead of noticing the special moments, the kind words, the thoughtful acts I find myself complaining, complaining, mainly over details that effect ME!
So today in our morning meeting as we sang:
May we never lose our wonder
May we never lose our wonder
Wide eyed and mystified
May we be just like a child
Staring at the beauty of our King
‘Cause you are beautiful in all your ways
You are beautiful in all your ways
[‘Wonder’, written by Amanda Cook, © 2013 Bethel Music Publishing]
I realised that I had begun to lose the wonder of God, perhaps a little like in Corinthians 4:4 where we read, ‘In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God’. Today we have uncertainty, the world is in a state of fear because of uncertainty, we feel helpless and out of control. But we can turn to the One who is fully in control and perfectly able to help in our times of need. Psalm 62 says, ‘For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy’. We can turn to a God, who wants to meet with us, who is involved in the heaven and earth he created, who takes his material world so seriously that he became a part of it, embodied and embedded, in Christ. (Paula Gooder – ‘Heaven’)
When visiting Hungary for Kata and Greg’s wedding several community stayed in a wonderful Airbnb and there on a shelf was a heavy, metal statue of Mary sitting peacefully holding Jesus in her lap. It felt as if she was offering Jesus to me. The statue was heavier than expected and suddenly I realised Jesus was separate, that I could hold him. It was astonishing how I felt holding baby Jesus. So many memories came flooding back, of cradling each of our four children newly born and oh so precious. As I held each one, time seemed to stop; I gently held their small fingers and toes, sensed their vulnerability with a deep sense of responsibility. I remember a warm stillness, there were just the two of us – A moment of wonder. I gently returned Jesus to his mother and took this photo.
Mary offered me, offered the world the gift, of her son Jesus, a gift given by God.
Can we today accept that offer and offer ourselves back to God? Perhaps then we can see the wood AND the trees – the gift and the wonder of God within the mess of these uncertain times.
This comes, as always, with much love and prayers