Words from Bede Circuit
Dear friends
This week, we held a messy church session at Kibblesworth. This session was based on the story of the lost sheep. Lots of sheep themed crafts and we even had a sheep trail around the village. Families were encouraged to collect a sheet and then go and find the several hidden sheep which had been ‘lost’ around the village. Many of the local businesses had found one, some of the church members who lived in the village had managed to find a sheep and then display them in their window for the families to find.
The sheep trail has proved popular with the local families, and over the last week if you were in Kibblesworth, you would have seen groups of people wandering round looking high and low for lost sheep.
In the parable of the lost sheep, we hear Jesus talking directly to the pharisees and to the teachers of the law. They had been grumbling that Jesus meets, talks, and shares with sinners.
Jesus uses the image of the lost sheep to explain to the pharisees and to us about the love of God.
This love welcomes all, remains open to all and is available to all. The love of God seeks us when we go astray and get lost in the complexities of life, rather than focussing on Jesus. God rejoices, when the ones who are lost return to the fold and come back to the love of God through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I want to encourage you this week, if you feel lost with your faith, God knows you and loves you, and is actively looking for you to come back to the fold. If you feel worried that you could never be welcomed back by God, know that God rejoices when the lost are found. If you know of those who need to find the love of God, then pray for them and offer them into Gods hands this day.
If you feel you are already happily in the fold of God, and all is well, then give thanks to God for the goodness of God, for the love of God, and rejoice that you are known by name and loved by God.
May you know the truth this week of God being your shepherd and your guide.
During the summer we will continue to meet in prayer on Zoom, Wednesday mornings at 10am.
With good wishes and prayers
Revd Matt Sheard on behalf of the Bede Circuit staff team