Trinity is a joint URC / Methodist church. It is an active member of the Church in Abingdon – a thriving ecumenical project.
Minister’s Letter
Dear Friends,
Anna Briggs’ hymn seems most appropriate for today. It opens with
these words: “We lay our broken world in sorrow at your feet, haunted
by hunger, war and fear, oppressed by power and hate.” As we look
upon the wars in Israel and Ukraine, we wonder at what cost all this
takes place. Anna, in her hymn goes on to say, “Here human life seems
less…” I must say I find it difficult when parts of the world characterised
by people who believe in a God of love, peace and mercy, find themselves
at war with each other. Not just now, but from one generation to another.
How did it come to this? Perhaps historians and others are better placed
to answer that than me.
For now, all we can do is pray. Sometimes that doesn’t feel like anywhere
near enough, but there are ways of offering practical support as the war
in Ukraine has shown us. It may be difficult to see how any of this can
come to a good end, and yet God does not abandon these people or
anyone. Returning to Anna’s hymn, “We bring our broken loves, friends
parted, families torn; then in your life and death we see that love must
be reborn.”
In this broken world, the need for Jesus, Prince of Peace to be known
seems to grow ever stronger. The need for his people to be people of
peace and joy in the midst of all that is happening in our society and the
world grows ever stronger. It is not someone else’s responsibility, rather
it is everyone’s. It will be seen in how we treat each other and reflected in
how we vote and what influence we seek to have on those in positions of
responsibility. We live in times when it seems all the more important that
our MPs do know what their constituents think and believe. Once again,
the church cannot be quiet on these and other issues. For example, as
God’s people, we must keep campaigning and telling Parliament that it
is not right in 2023 for people to be relying on food banks. The church
has frequently punched above its weight; it can do so again.
In this month of November when we remember those who lost their lives
in wars past; may we do all that we can to show that each life matters to
God and to us. May we become agents for peace in our world in prayer
and action.
Every blessing
Ian