Minister’s Letter for August 2019
Dear Friends,
As I write the summer holidays have begun, at least they have for the schools. The school opposite the church has over the years used our church car park, and for the next few weeks it is empty, which every morning takes me by surprise and I then remember that everyone is on holiday!
Holidays are a time for people to recharge their batteries, relax, take time out, turn off the work phone, and resist the temptation to look at work emails - they will still be there when you get home!
I do realise that holidays mean different things to different people. Families with young children have a different type of holiday from older people, for example, or people holidaying on their own or with a group of friends. I have done many different types of holiday and I have a different experience each time I go away which adds to the enjoyment, although going on holiday alone for the first time after the death of my wife, was a little strange, but I coped!
In thinking about holidays, I began to think about what were holidays in biblical times? I discovered that they were related to holy days that celebrated different religious events.
The word holiday is only found in the book of Esther but the concept of a day set aside to celebrate or remember is found through-out the bible. The Roman Empire was the first nation to introduce holidays in the non-religious world, and if you were a wealthy Roman you went on holiday for a year, slightly more than the average 2 weeks most people go for! and this was before Easyjet was invented!
The Old Testament talks about many different holy days set aside to remember various holy days that Israel wanted to re-call, and these feast days or "holy days" were a mixture of the people obeying the law of the land and remembering all that God had done for them. They celebrated with praise and prayer, but it was also a "party" with good food and drink. It was, if you like, the equivalent of having a "day off" from their everyday working life, similar I guess to the way we look forward to Bank Holidays.
The most popular form of religious holiday for Christians is of course Christmas. The event celebrates the birth of our Lord, although sadly now commercialised. It, along with Easter, is the holiday that Christians the world over celebrate.
I remember as a child being a little jealous that my friend went to a Roman Catholic school for the simple reason that it seemed to me, he was always celebrating "holy days" as decreeded by his school and I learnt the names of some obscure saints that his school insisted on celebrating!
Although the New Testament never says that our Lord went on holiday it does state that he often withdrew to be on his own and to be with his Father and Jesus does appear to like socialising and enjoying good food and drink often at his friends Martha and Mary’s house, which I guess could be a form of a "holiday", where he went to recharge his batteries and find new energy for the work that he was called to do.
Holidays can be stressful, and expensive, especially if you have young children, or elderly or disabled family members to look after although these days help and support are available which gives holidays to those family members who are the primary carers.
Whatever you are doing this summer, be it an "away day" or a longer trip, enjoy all that the experience offers you and may you come back renewed, refreshed and energised, ready to continue God’s work in the wider world and in your own community, in whatever shape or form that takes.
A prayer:
Lord God,
as people go away this holiday season,
be it for a long holiday or just a day away,
be with them as they travel,
guard and protect them
as they enjoy a change from the daily routine;
be with those who cannot go on holiday for whatever reason,
be it financial or illness,
and be with all those who live alone,
and who have little or no contact with family or friends.
Bless, heal and guide all those who need your saving grace,
especially in this holiday season.
Amen
Yours in Christ
Peter
Dear Friends,
As I write the summer holidays have begun, at least they have for the schools. The school opposite the church has over the years used our church car park, and for the next few weeks it is empty, which every morning takes me by surprise and I then remember that everyone is on holiday!
Holidays are a time for people to recharge their batteries, relax, take time out, turn off the work phone, and resist the temptation to look at work emails - they will still be there when you get home!
I do realise that holidays mean different things to different people. Families with young children have a different type of holiday from older people, for example, or people holidaying on their own or with a group of friends. I have done many different types of holiday and I have a different experience each time I go away which adds to the enjoyment, although going on holiday alone for the first time after the death of my wife, was a little strange, but I coped!
In thinking about holidays, I began to think about what were holidays in biblical times? I discovered that they were related to holy days that celebrated different religious events.
The word holiday is only found in the book of Esther but the concept of a day set aside to celebrate or remember is found through-out the bible. The Roman Empire was the first nation to introduce holidays in the non-religious world, and if you were a wealthy Roman you went on holiday for a year, slightly more than the average 2 weeks most people go for! and this was before Easyjet was invented!
The Old Testament talks about many different holy days set aside to remember various holy days that Israel wanted to re-call, and these feast days or "holy days" were a mixture of the people obeying the law of the land and remembering all that God had done for them. They celebrated with praise and prayer, but it was also a "party" with good food and drink. It was, if you like, the equivalent of having a "day off" from their everyday working life, similar I guess to the way we look forward to Bank Holidays.
The most popular form of religious holiday for Christians is of course Christmas. The event celebrates the birth of our Lord, although sadly now commercialised. It, along with Easter, is the holiday that Christians the world over celebrate.
I remember as a child being a little jealous that my friend went to a Roman Catholic school for the simple reason that it seemed to me, he was always celebrating "holy days" as decreeded by his school and I learnt the names of some obscure saints that his school insisted on celebrating!
Although the New Testament never says that our Lord went on holiday it does state that he often withdrew to be on his own and to be with his Father and Jesus does appear to like socialising and enjoying good food and drink often at his friends Martha and Mary’s house, which I guess could be a form of a "holiday", where he went to recharge his batteries and find new energy for the work that he was called to do.
Holidays can be stressful, and expensive, especially if you have young children, or elderly or disabled family members to look after although these days help and support are available which gives holidays to those family members who are the primary carers.
Whatever you are doing this summer, be it an "away day" or a longer trip, enjoy all that the experience offers you and may you come back renewed, refreshed and energised, ready to continue God’s work in the wider world and in your own community, in whatever shape or form that takes.
A prayer:
Lord God,
as people go away this holiday season,
be it for a long holiday or just a day away,
be with them as they travel,
guard and protect them
as they enjoy a change from the daily routine;
be with those who cannot go on holiday for whatever reason,
be it financial or illness,
and be with all those who live alone,
and who have little or no contact with family or friends.
Bless, heal and guide all those who need your saving grace,
especially in this holiday season.
Amen
Yours in Christ
Peter
