Nether Heyford Parish Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
I’m writing this letter in the aftermath of the ‘meaningful’ vote on Brexit, lost so spectacularly by the government, and the subsequent vote of no confidence, from which that same government emerged unscathed. As I write, the Prime Minister and her ministers are meeting with politicians from other parties and from across the House of Commons to try and find a consensus on how best to move forward. At this stage, however, none of us know what will happen next.
In the Church’s calendar, we’re about to enter the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and our Bible readings reflect this. We look at St Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, where he writes about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In a church context, these gifts and talents are given to people to encourage and grow the Christian community. But in the wider context, we all have skills and passions that we can put to use for the benefits of other, and the growth of the communities in which we live and work. We’re all given these gifts to share with others, not keep to ourselves. If we do the latter, the community can’t grow, but if we use our gifts and talents for the common good, if we seek to serve others, our communities will be all the better for it.
St Paul writes about the gift of tongues, but warns of the confusion that can arise when everyone speaks at the same time, which is often how it seems to be when events in the House of Commons are reported. More positively, however, we might reflect on the gifts of wisdom and discernment, and pray that these are seen and used more effectively amongst our politicians. We must hope that’s the case, and trust that our leaders and representatives are now working together for the common good, not just of this country, but of the EU and the wider world. And in the meantime, we can play our part by working for the good of our communities, helping them to flourish and grow in these confused and uncertain times. So, as I pray for Christian unity across the world, I pray too that, whatever our faith, we can all put our gifts to work for the benefit of others, that we can encourage one another, and build up our communities. And I pray particularly for wisdom for our political leaders, and for peace and unity in our nation, and in our relationships with other countries.
With every blessing,
Stephen – 01327 344436
During February we shall be praying for people living in Hillside Rd and Hillside Crescent here in Heyford, Sutton St, Yew Tree Gardens and Sutton Acre in Flore, The Manor in Church Stowe and the Gate House and the Old Dairy in Brockhall.
The Nether Heyford Prattler 