Celebrating people

Hello,

As September draws near, I hope you have had a good summer. As I look back across the decades this stands out as the warmest and sunniest summer I can remember since 1976! I've just come back from a week of grandparent duty in Cornwall. I thought I'd used up all the sunshine earlier in the year, but no, there was plenty even in that notoriously unpredictable county. 

Our time away was overshadowed by the very tragic news of the death of Dave Baker, one of the leaders of our 8am congregation and a huge public servant in his role as CEO of the Olympus Trust. I've known Dave since the early 1980's, and along with many people, want to celebrate in him a life well lived.

I have been thinking of the importance of making the most of the time we have to celebrate and thank people. Life is so uncertain as many people reading this will know from personal experience.

I want to celebrate two groups of people today. Firstly I want to celebrate older people, a group I am considering joining soon. I am so grateful for older and retired people in my life and in our Church community. I am struck by the courage and dignity so many older people display. Often they carry chronic pain and life limiting effects of illness or ageing. They may carry loss, bereavement and loneliness. They may question their usefulness and place in society in a culture that skews towards and celebrates youth and innovation. Well, to anyone who identifies with what I've just written, I salute you! We need your wisdom and perspective, and celebrate your courage.

The second group of people I want to celebrate are parents. Having had a week of grandparent duty while my grandson's childminder was on holiday, I remember how tiring it is looking after a toddler, and that's on the back of sharing care with Tina who has the skills! Parents pour themselves out for their children. They have sleep disturbance, they live around their child's schedule, they practice patience and dying to self. In his book Domestic Monastery Ronald Rolheiser compares his  monastic experience of spiritual formation with that of his home based mother and concludes that the domestic context is a fantastic place to put following Jesus into practice in dying to self.

Parents, I celebrate you.

Now of course celebrating anyone without celebrating everyone is a challenge. I want to celebrate single people, and having lived with single people in community for most of my adult life I recognise the courage singleness requires and how much single people give to community. That's my lived experience. Thank you. 

But my challenge to you is, who will you thank and celebrate today?

Much love,

David Mitchell

Senior Leader
Woodlands Church Family