August 2020

This month's article is written by Rev Gill Stanning, Borderlands Mission Priest and Rector of Llanfynydd with Cymau & Ffrith...

An Extraordinary Time.

The lengthy period in the church year which spans from Trinity Sunday to Advent, is often collectively called ‘Ordinary Time’ by the church. We are at the beginning if this period at present. However, it may be more accurate to rename it ‘Extraordinary Time’ because of all the strangeness and uncertainty that we have been experiencing recently; individually, as families, as churches and as wider communities. 

These last few months have been unprecedented times indeed and undoubtedly traumatic for many.  Whether it’s the pain of bereavement, the sadness of separation, the uncertainty over employment and education or the isolation of lockdown; we have all felt stretched in many ways. Many of us will have wanted to reach out and do more to help others, but have been prevented by the necessary restrictions imposed upon us. Frustration will have been a regular emotion I am sure, as well as a feeling of helplessness.

On top of all of this we have had to adjust to new ways of doing church and of expressing ourselves spiritually.  We have not been able to meet in our church buildings, so Sunday services became online streamed services, on Facebook or YouTube.  This has had it’s downsides and challenges but it has also had it’s plus points. There have even been people who don’t regularly attend any of our churches joining us and over time, becoming regular members of those online congregations. I have experienced this in Llanfynydd with newly regular people joining us from Llandudno, Abergele and even Australia! 

The amount of services we have been able to offer has also increased. In addition to specific services on Sundays and in the week led by Adam, Gareth and myself, there have been some wonderful thought provoking contributions from members of our committed  shared ministry team and some fabulous and lively children’s services too. There have  even been Zoom coffee mornings and quizzes!  Indeed, most of us have discovered the world of Zoom, which I certainly have not heard of before the pandemic. Extraordinary times indeed!

Whilst our church buildings may have been closed, our relationship with God lives on. I have heard many people tell me that this relationship has become more extraordinary as a result of lockdown…they feel closer to God somehow and more able to focus on him. 

But now things begin to change again…In Wales we have recently been told that places of worship can reopen for church services when the stringent regulations regarding opening safely can be met. Undoubtedly, this will be step closer to normality. However, when our buildings do reopen, we will also have to accept that our various Sunday services will feel very different - for a time.

In a rapidly changing world it has been good to reflect that whilst church practice may alter - Jesus himself does not change.  

I hope that during these last few months of lockdown we’ve been able to take time to look to Jesus, our extraordinary Lord and Saviour.  The Lord Jesus, is the one who promises to be with us in distress and gives us eternal hope for our future.  

The canticle below is from the Northumbrian Communities Morning Prayer which I have been using online during lockdown. It has become very special to me because it reminds us of Jesus proximity to us and the total trust that we can and should have in his love and protection, however extraordinary our previously ordinary lives may have become.

Canticle
Christ, as a light
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
Amen

Whether times are ordinary or extraordinary, always remember these words from Hebrews 13:8:
‘Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever.’

Every blessing,



Gill

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