Dear Friends
As I write this, the snow is beginning to fall at Scargill, as it has done, I’m sure, for many of you. It is a strong possibility that we could wake up to a foot of snow tomorrow morning.
We have been glad to welcome Ben (UK), Iris (UK) and Anna (Hungary) to community. We have sadly said goodbye to Remiel, Jairo and Eva. We are so grateful for their valuable contribution to the life and work of this place.
For your diaries, we have another online quiet day on Tuesday 21st March; and if you wish, you could also join us online for some of the reflections and services over Holy week to Easter Sunday.
As I write this, we are advertising for a Chaplain to join the team. If you know anybody, please put them in touch with us. The closing date is 24th April, and the interviews will be in the week beginning 8th May. We very much value your prayers for the right person to come to join the Scargill adventure.
Here is Di’s reflection – Enjoy!
Diane writes:
Have you read any of Max Lucado books?
Max Lucado is interested in helping children understand their value – not from the world’s perspective but from God’s, and so he invented Wemmicksville, a land created by Eli, the “God” figure of the story. He creates each Wemmick in Wemmicksville uniquely, each with its own look and personality. Each story has its own new adventure centred around Punchinello and his friends Lucia, Splint, and Chip.
Recently, I was given a copy of ‘You are mine’. In this story Punchinello yet again strays from Eli forgetting what Eli has taught him and, of cause, this leads to troubles, difficulties and disappointments which eventually draw Punchinello back to Eli, where we find him at the knee of his creator, knowing he has been forgiven and hearing the words he needs the most: “You are special, not because of the things you have, but because you are mine.”
For some reason the word MINE disturbed me. For a while I wasn’t sure I liked it. Were there not connotations to power, ownership, of master and servant relationships. I could almost hear someone shouting ‘That’s mine!’
But I could also hear the words from Isaiah 43:1
“But now, this is what the LORD says – he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.””
Thankfully, reason returned and of course I began to recognise that Eli saying ‘you are mine’ is amazing because deep down all that Punchinello wanted was to belong, to be loved.
So, yes, to be ‘mine’ could be a power thing but it could also be a statement of love. A statement of love so full of grace, so mind-blowing that it is beyond our understanding.
With love and prayers from