This is the last letter I will write as Vicar of All Saints’ and St Margaret’s. After nearly 7 years, Helen and I are up sticking and moving to Nottinghamshire to be nearer to our grown-up children.
It is with much gratitude that we journey on with very many happy memories of this season of our lives. It has been an enormous privilege to be your Vicar and thank you to you all for your friendship, good humour and fellowship in the life and work of God’s kingdom in these parishes.
This morning I gave a “thought for the day” on Facebook – something I never dreamed I’d be doing 6 months ago. But these are exceptional times and I for one have really enjoyed the challenge of learning new skills in these Lockdown days.
The focus of my “thought” was Abraham – sometimes called “Father Abraham” because he was the founding Father of our faith. God called Abraham to be his friend. He wanted to bless Abraham and his wife Sarah and to make them into a great nation – quite an idea at the age of 75!
God asked Abraham and Sarah to up sticks and to move to Caanan – a land that was “flowing with milk and honey”. He wanted to bless them and their descendants in order that they would be … a blessing to the other nations of the world.
There remains today much sadness and isolation and all the more in our post Lock down world. The world needs people of hope and faith and love. Abraham and Sarah were such people BECAUSE they felt secure within the love of God.
I hope and pray that you too know God’s love for you and your family and that that will enable you to have the confidence to be generous to those in need around you.
God has always and only ever wanted one thing: that we should know Him as our Friend and Saviour – the One whose love is unconditional – the One whose love for us enables us to reach out in love to one another – the One whose love for us drives out any fear.
May God bless you and keep you; May the Lord His face to shine upon: May the Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon you and give you peace now and forever more. Amen.
Peter Chantry
The Parish Magazine for July and August is available online here
