Happy New Year to you all as we welcome in 2016.
Before Christmas, many of us will have written our annual Christmas letter to family and friends, giving an opportunity to look back over the year, when hopefully the good out weighs the bad. Now we look forward to a new year, I hope with eager anticipation. As we do so then many will be looking at their New Year’s resolutions wondering if they will do any better than the few days they managed last year.
Well that may well depend on you and what your resolution is. But why do we give up on the things we have started? Well the Church of England is keen to try and understand why it is that many of our children as they grow up stop attending church. They have commissioned a survey which is in two parts, the first is for those aged 16-30, asking what people of this age like and dislike about the church, its services and people etc. You don’t have to be a regular attendee, as the answers from those who either don’t come or rarely come are as valid as those who come regularly. The second half of the survey is for parents who have children aged 11-30, so that I qualify as my children are 25 and 27.
I would ask all who can to take a copy of the survey from church and then
return it to me or you can return it to the C of E directly via a FREEPOST address.
Why our children stop coming to church is only one of the many puzzling questions in life. I am inclined to think that it is often linked with attitudes found at secondary schools towards those of faith, but this is only an opinion. On the other hand their does appear to be a ground swell of movement against the Christian faith. For example you may well have heard about how the short film showing people saying the Lord’s Prayer was banned from being shown in cinemas. When a short cartoon about Hindu God’s praying to protect the life of a young child was shown quite happily.
Maybe in 2016 we could all make a resolution to do something to help protect the freedom of people to express their faith. This could be simply a letter or a petition, calling for all faiths to be treated equally, or to allow people to express their faith at work by the wearing of crosses or other religious clothing. May 2016 be a year to make a difference, if only a small one. Happy New Year Simon
Lent Bible Studies
With Easter coming early this year, we find Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday 9th February) marking the start of Lent. This year we will again be holding our Lent Bible Study, Cuppa and Chat, and will be looking for people to host the meetings. If you could host a small group, we will come and lead the chat. Just let Shemil Mathew (07401 587151) or Simon Dommett (01869 810903 ) know ASAP. Many thanks.
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