Pastoral Letter (Fish Hoek Methodist) – March 2022
Dear friends,
As I write these words today, my heart is very heavy. I just can’t shake the sadness of what is happening all around us. If it is not Covid, then it is the war in Ukraine. If it is not corruption in our national government, then it is endless scandals in our local municipalities. If it is not the rapidly increasing cost of fuel, then it is the imminent rise in our cost of living. I think we would all agree, there is lots to be depressed about at the moment, HOWEVER…
…. this can’t be the end of the story! Surely not!?
As followers of Jesus, we have known about the trials and temptations that would come our way. The scriptures have forewarned us of the fragility of this world. Jesus even made it clear that we WOULD have troubles in this life. However, he also made it abundantly evident that He had overcome the world (John 14). As our recent sermon series reminded us – we can hold onto the Unbreakable Promises of God, so that we can stand with Unshakeable Hope.
So, where does this leave us then? Well, in my opinion, we can seize the opportunities we are blessed with to draw nearer to Christ. None of the events happening around us have taken away our great privilege of being in the presence of God. The world may be shaking, but God hasn’t moved at all!
And as it stands, we find ourselves in the season of Lent. I feel this is timeous, as Lent provides us with an incredible invitation to reflect, lament and pray. As Pope Francis said: “Lent comes providentially to awaken us, to shake us from our lethargy.” I urge us to use this liturgical season as a gift – perhaps to allow the Holy Spirit to enable us to untangle ourselves from this world and to keep our eyes fixed on Christ.
- Easter Plans for 2022 – We are praying that we will be able to have a full Easter programme this year. At the moment, we are planning for the Circuit Ministers to share in our Holy Week services, and we trust this will give us new voices for our Easter journey and a greater sense of belonging to the broader Christian community. More information will follow shortly.
As many of you are aware, Kim has just come out of surgery and is on the long road to recovery. We are truly humbled and extremely grateful for the love and care we have received from the Church community. We have appreciated the delicious meals, numerous messages, and countless prayers. Thank you so much for your love in action. We are truly blessed to be part of the Church family.
As we finish off this letter, I offer us a few words to reflect on:
- “Fasting confirms our utter dependence upon God by finding in Him a source of sustenance beyond food.” – Dallas Willard
- Psalm 30:5 – “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
Living in Grace
Delme, Kim, Declan, Nathan and Joshua