Anerley Methodist Church

Ministers Letters

Letters from our Minister are published in our Magazine, The Anerley Echo. We have letters from 2007 to the most recent on this page for you to read. Please click on the 'read more' button in the articles below to read the full article. Or navigate from the column on the left to the article you wish to read. Try using the search box if you cant find the article you want.

February/March 2012

February/March 2012 Volume 43 Number 5

Greetings,

Where are we going? What are we doing? As the continent of Europe we are confused. Even nature doesn’t seem to know where it is and us as Christians, what do we know.

Europe. Well is it a financial zone focussing on the euro, or a political zone embracing a number of countries who feel stronger to be a part of a larger group yet not willing to lose nationality or other ownership interests, or is it an economic union. Whatever it is what is its focus of being and where is it going?

Nature. Daffodils in full bloom, buds on trees, growing grass, all confused by unseasonable weather. Is the weather changing or not? What will climate change mean to our future? Will we soon be growing coffee and cocoa rather than rhubarb?

Christians. Where do we stand in the influences on our being? What are we prepared to do in terms of our part in creating inancial stability, political ambition, economic awareness or climate change? What indeed could the Christian influence be and if we know that how is our knowledge going to be promulgated for the greater good?

The time of year approaches when we reflect. When we reflect on the nature of God, on our ability or lack of ability to understand what He wants us to do, on our past wrongful nature and how we can make redress and put it right in the future.

Lent will soon be upon us as we reflect once more on the covenant we have recently remade with God. As Lent ends the lesson, our lesson, becomes clearer.

Christ came and lived in a confused world. The confusion of politics; of religious fervour of the fear of losing control; Herod and Pilate and their political ambitions; The High Priests, Scribes and Sadducees with their religious hierarchy being threatened. The solution – His own death; yet not just a death but a death with meaning; a death to end divisions; a death that had at its basis new life.

So what does that say to us? Perhaps it is saying that some of our most precious ways have to change for the greater good. We may have to give up some of our treasures to return to a way of life that is more spartan, yet more considerate, of other factors, other principles, other people. Perhaps it is saying to us that we have moved farther away from God into our own individual, selfish, cosy environments and we need to re-evaluate and move back.

Christ died that we might live, have new life. This Spring as we meditate through Lent, as we prepare for Easter let us let Christ remake us and help us live in His way. Let us return to Him, put our trust in Him, walk in His way. Let us tackle the problems we have in our world together so that peace and prosperity for all may reign.

Where are we going? To be in Christ.
What are we doing? Going to walk in His way.
We know.
Whether it be finance, politics or nature we can make a difference if we do it in ways guided by God.
Happy thinking and reflecting. Graham

December 2011/January 2012

Volume 42 Number 4 D

What is Christmas to you?

Anxiety, family coming round, financial stress, a food mountain in the fridge, little food, what presents to buy and who for, a present you don’t know what to do with, horrible traffic jams– you could go on, but look above.