James writes…

Seeds of Hope in a New Year

‘Let me look into the branches of a towering oak and to know that it grew tall and strong because it grew slowly and well. Slow me down Lord. Teach me to be gentle and humble of heart, and thus I will find rest for my soul.’

As we approach February, our shortest month, I still want to ask ‘what brings us hope in this new year’, 2018? Society trips so quickly from Christmas festivities, to New Year jollities with short-lived resolutions, to anxious endurance – as we face the triple challenges of winter, NHS and social care crisis, and economic uncertainty. It is difficult, in our busy lives, to stand-back and reflect spiritually or strategically, but we need to pray for wisdom and insight as we search out Gospel hope. What will bring us hope in 2018, and how can we at St John’s hold out that Gospel hope to those around us?

I want to offer eight seeds of hope…

Firstly, the Church gives us much needed seasons of grace. Winter may be bleak, but it is not an empty time – or at least its emptiness gives rise (over time) to abundance, as hidden seeds are planted in the depths of our souls. Epiphany enabled us to reflect on the mysterious unfolding of the gift of the incarnate Christ, God with us or Emmanuel. And from 14th February, Lent will offer us a new springtime, an opportunity to grow deeper through prayer and patience and study of God’s Word. See the details of our Lent Groups further on: ‘Come and See’, journey with John’s Gospel.

Secondly, the wellspring of prayer and mindfulness of God is always open to us. Sometimes we need an empty space or degree of suffering to shatter our complacency and draw us back to God. In mid-January, we remembered St Anthony of Egypt, the Desert Father and founder of western monasticism. Leaving a life of riches and stripping himself of privilege, Anthony discovered the deeper riches of ‘the desert’, in prayer and silence and searching. Might we, in this ‘Year of Prayer’, take the opportunity to explore the fertile desert of meditative silence and listening to God?

Thirdly, hope comes from relationships. More people than ever are lonely and the Government has appointed a minister for loneliness. But we belong together, and the Church in particular is all about relationship and true community, flowing out of God a Trinity of love. It was moving, at our January All Age, to hear people saying they come to St John’s because of its welcome. We must never be complacent, but as new people try out St John’s, may we find hope in offering generous welcome, risk-taking hospitality and giving space to others.

I am pleased that a number of social events are planned for 2018, alongside our regular groups and coffee after Church: 30thJune Summer Faire, 8th July Parish lunch to welcome our new Curate, a Parish picnic on 19thAugust, a Ceilidh on 15thSeptember for the new school year, a Harvest lunch on 14th October and 17thNovember Christmas Faire.

Fourthly, hope comes from serving others, including engaging with our voluntary sector, overseas mission and charitable fundraising. It is so clear to me that life is more fulfilled when we’re actively engaged in serving others, and as Christians we need to look outward into the wider world, as many are doing so faithfully, in their professional life or as volunteers. This has been a life-giving strand of my discipleship, from a very young age. Our engagement with the Cambridge Churches Homelessness Project is gathering momentum, as you will note from elsewhere in the Parish Voice. Many of you are sacrificially involved with the NHS, social care, education or local government. And this year we are reviewing our Overseas Mission Links, with a view to strengthening them. Jesus reminds us, ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me’ (Matthew 25.35)

Fifthly hope comes, in my experience – and this is challenging – from really listening to other people. For me it is a privilege to listen to people’s stories, as I offer pastoral care or engage with Bible Study groups. I especially believe we all need to listen to our children & young people. Again, it is such a privilege to be co-leading our youth groups, The Gift and Salt. In a pressurised age, with many expectations projected onto the rising generation, we need to hear their ideas and insights. Listening is our first core value at St John’s, and on 24th February five of us will be commencing the ‘Partnership for Missional Church’ project, especially focused (this year) around listening: to God, our context, each other and other local partners. How do we listen well? We also need to listen and reach out to many families in our parish, in order to receive from them and share the gifts of faith.

Sixthly, hope comes not only from our service of and listening to others, but from working at our social values or ethics, at the root of purposeful engagement with the world: locally, nationally and globally. In early January Pope Francis urged the world, at a major diplomatic summit, to safeguard the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Archbishop Justin Welbyis working to ensure that reconciliation is at the top of his active concerns, alongside renewal of prayer, and evangelism. Our Anglican tradition is rich in Christian social teaching. How do we engage with this, in terms of holding and promoting Gospel values, relevant to a world of wars, refugees, climate change and injustice?

Seventhly, hope is no doubt to be found in considering the vital issues around wellbeing, and what it means to promote health and balance and sustainable living; to live more ‘slowly and well’, which is when true growth happens. Alongside secular insights, Christian spirituality has much to offer in this regard. On 4th February Canon Sue Wyatt is leading a half-day workshop with PCC and Ministry Team members on clergy wellbeing, but this has relevance to all of us, as we seek to be caring and to live well. How can we, at St John’s, model wellbeing?

Finally, we can find hope (as a parish church) in discerning good leadership: how to engage in mission & ministry in an intelligent, creative and strategic manner. I am so grateful to those who completed the ‘Gifts Audit’ in the autumn, which I will be drawing on. Our PCC and Ministry Team, as well as local Three Saints Partnership and South Cambridge Deanery are all engaged in leadership, so we can steward our resources and develop our work wisely. I have always been helpedby Robert Warren’s seven marks of a healthy church: is energised by faith, has an outward-looking focus, seeks to find out what God wants, faces the cost of change and growth, operates as a community, makes room for all, and does a few things well. Much food for thought.

In responding to God’s loving purposes, may we at St John’s continue to lay good foundations in 2018, as we look forward with faith, hope, love and wisdom.May we (in God’s grace) plant and grow true and lasting seeds of hope, for our parish, our congregation and our children’s future.