Letter from Jon, March 2022 

 Dear Friends
 
Each month when I come to write a new letter I take time to consider what is happening in the life of the Church and what is happening around the world.  Sometimes life seems uneventful but that is certainly not the case at the moment.  If I’d written this letter a week ago then perhaps my focus would have been around easing covid restrictions, or even the controversial ‘gatherings’ around Downing Street.  A week later and all these things seem to have faded into the distance as the Ukraine dominates our tv screens, media and our thoughts.  It seems that in times like these the focus is on unity; unity between political parties and between nations.  It would almost seem wrong to bring up things that divide us rather than unite us in a common goal for freedom and justice.
 
Over these next few weeks, in the lead up to Easter, our focus on Sunday mornings & Wednesday evenings will be firmly on Jesus as we look at the events leading up to the cross.  It is so important in difficult times that we keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus who gave up his freedom and suffered unspeakable injustice at the hands of the people he loved and came to save.  Jesus is the centre of our hope; a hope that looks forward to a day when all wars will cease, pain and death will be no more and we will live in absolute peace with our God.  Whilst that hope looks forward it is also a very present reality; a reality that unites, strengthens and comforts us, and which give us reason to live and to push forward to see God’s kingdom come.
 
And so, as this present crisis unfolds and we see and hear stories of great sacrifice, tragedy and loss, as we continue to pray for freedom and justice, let us keep reminding ourselves and each other of a God who entered our suffering so that we may be set free, who gave himself willingly out of his incredible love for us, and who, right now, is an ever-present help in trouble.  Let us also continue to be a light of hope to those around us, bringing blessing just as we are blessed.
 
At the end of Sunday’s prayer time for Ukraine we spoke the words of the blessing specifically over the people of Ukraine, and so I end this letter with these beautiful and powerful words again.  I speak them over you and your family as we together speak them over our hurting world.
 
‘The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.’
Num 6:24-26
 
Much love
 
Jonx