Words from Bede Circuit

Dear Friends,

Jesus says Love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)

I had a teacher at primary school who had an influential hand in the early part of my life. Mr Oliver was the teacher whose class you did not want to go in. He had a reputation of being strict and a harsh man. For those of us who were blessed to have him as a teacher nothing could be further from the truth. He was caring, kind, expected much but also gave much in return.

He taught us many things in life, one of which was his favourite phrase ‘you must always bring your best and give of your best in life’.

I was reminded of this recently when I was listening to a podcast about the life of the Olympian Sir Steve Redgrave. He spoke of how he and his teammates vowed to each other to bring their best for each other. This meant training to the limits of human capability, on cold early mornings at 5am having to get out onto the water and practice for the hundredth time the stroke pattern that they would row. Restrictions on diet, sleep patterns, having to miss key events in their children’s lives all to bring of their best and achieve great things. Which he did in winning numerous Olympic medals.

As the people of God, we are called to give of our best for God each day. We are called to give every breath in our body to serve the one who loved us so deeply that he gave much for us and asked for nothing in return.

We too are called to love and serve each other in this same way, bringing of our best each time we meet either on zoom or in face to face meetings or services at church.

One way that we need to do this in the current pandemic is when we meet in our churches. We need to have the commitment to each other that collectively we will give of our best for God by socially distancing and wearing a mask at all times, making sure we use the hand sanitizers provided, making sure we have our risk assessments done and that we are sticking to what we have written. Making sure we do not sing hymns even if we are wearing a mask! Making sure that we have clear policies for the end of the service so that people can leave when instructed to do so a row at a time and not all at once, Making sure that we do not gather after the service either in the building or on the church premises.

These are all sacrifices we must make if we are going to bring our best for God.

After reflecting on this at staff meeting, please can we encourage each other to play our part in bringing our best for God especially when we are meeting face to face in our buildings at this time.

May we always be people who bring our best to God, be people who serve God with our whole heart, and in return know the endless depth of love that God has for each one of us.

Please continue to engage with the Zoom Sunday services at 10.30am and the weekly Bible studies on Holy Habits series on Mondays 7.00pm and Thursday 10.30am. As well, there is the Sunday worship sheet, Wednesday prayer meeting and Why pay services. Please contact the Senior Church Steward (Brenda Wallace) for more details: wesleymemchurch.pr@gmail.com

If you need any help, please contact your pastoral visitor or minister. Stay safe and well.

With good wishes and prayers on behalf of the Bede Circuit staff team.

Rev Matt Sheard