 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Website last updated on 2nd Sept 2009. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Our Minister
 |
Telephone Number: 01252 544823
Email: linda.phillips@theinvernet.co.uk
Linda writes (taken from our July/August 2009 newsletter) ...
Dear Friends,
The other Sunday I led an evening service during which we reflected on what things (either literal objects or less concrete things such as love) we felt we were rich in and what we would like to have more of. In the latter category one person put “time”. My husband always says that the ideal Christmas present for him would be an expanding day kit – would that such an item existed, I suspect many of us would like one! Or would we? I’m ready enough to collapse into bed at the end of a day of ordinary length, let alone a longer one. Perhaps what we’re all not too willing to admit is that we are trying to do more than is possible in the time available.
Most of us live very busy lives, and even perhaps feel guilty if we are not busy. We are not good at taking time just to ‘be’, but instead have to ‘do’ as much as possible. As a Minister, whose job is by its very nature somewhat unstructured, I have particular problems with this – my home is my office, and most of the people I meet each day are either my work colleagues (because in the church we are all in this together) or potential “clients” in a sense! So, work is ever-present, and I struggle to justify taking time to ‘be’, time to read, to study (what’s that?!), to pray. If I sit down with a book or a newspaper that isn’t directly related to preparation for a particular service or meeting, I start to feel guilty, which is very silly, really.
Perhaps you don’t have a problem with this, and have got your work-life balance carefully arranged. But if you’re more like me, then I hope we can all take a moment to stop and think about this. We need to care for ourselves, and that means making space for “me myself and no one else”, space for those we love, space for those people and organisations we want to help and support, and space for the work we have to do to earn a living, if we’re still at that point in life and fortunate enough to have a job! Oh, and time to sleep as well - I read somewhere that a large proportion of the population of this country suffers from chronic sleep deprivation.
Easier said than done, I know, and as I’ve already admitted, I’m not a very good example to you. But hopefully, over the next couple of months, with summer holidays coming up and fewer church meetings to attend at least, we can try to make a bit of space in our lives just ‘to be’, to find some of that time which we say we are so short of, rest our weary bodies and refresh our minds and spirits.
Maybe even, dare I suggest, find more time for God? Sometimes our busyness can be a way of avoiding God, blocking out the stillness and quietness when he can speak to us. But as Christians, if we are not fed by time spent alone with God, praying, reading the Bible, and just being in his presence, then we cannot hope to reach out to others with the good news of the Gospel. Needing more time is really about deciding on our priorities and, for Christians, God should be number one on that list.
May your time this summer bring you rest, refreshment and renewal of body, mind and spirit.
With Christian greetings,
Linda