Christ Church, Longridge

Dear Friends,

As you [may] know, since September 2008 our son Daniel has been serving as a Medic out in Afghanistan, firstly in Kandahar then latterly at Camp Bastion. Just recently he was back in the UK for two weeks R&R and it was lovely to see him safe and well. Colin and I were overjoyed that he took the time whilst home, to make his engagement to girlfriend Lowri official – as in, he took her to buy ‘the ring’!!

Before he left, I asked him if he would write a few lines to let you know how the boxes of ‘goodies’ I’ve been sending out to him were distributed. The ‘Buddy Box’ at the back of church has become a familiar sight, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have contributed and to let you know that I will continue to send them until the end of February.

The following piece that he left me to forward to you, explains far better than I ever could, just what your generosity means to those who are on the receiving end of it.

‘An Afghan Tale’

The sun starts to rise but the cold air hangs all around me, cutting through the thin desert trousers I’ve been wearing for the past 4 days. Mud and dust hold in what little heat there still is to my lower body, my upper body keeping warm through my armour and equipment.

The frost forms on the helmets in front of me and I look at my watch for perhaps the 5th time in the past minute; we’ll be lifted out of here any time soon…but no sound.

I look through the scope of my rifle at the compound to my front. A figure has come out; it doesn’t look to be carrying anything, probably going to pray, maybe going to make sure people know we’re here.

It’s OK though, we’ll be out any minute, but still no noise. It always amazes me how quiet everything is. The only time it’s this quiet back in Britain is when I’ve climbed to the top of a deserted peak.

More people begin moving out of that compound. Are they moving out or just around it? No-one seems to be carrying anything. They’re looking over at us, moving towards us. Are they just looking, or do they intend to do something else?

They’ve stopped, three of them looking in our direction. Maybe they’re just curious. I mean who wouldn’t be! If a foreign army was in Britain, on my road, I would probably want to see what they were doing as well.

These three seem to be just wearing their ‘dish-dash’ and don’t look to have any weapons. Would they have put any in their fields?

More movement from the compound – just kids playing.

The word is passed around…“HELO in, in one minute”. I check my equipment, get to one knee…I’ll be glad to get this day-sack off. It seems to get heavier every time I lift it up.

Standing up and moving towards the aircraft now – trying to move quickly across the ground, but legs have gone cold and stiff.

‘That helicopter came in quickly, I didn’t see it land’, I say. Still can’t see it with all the dust it’s kicked up, so I just keep following the bloke in front. One big step, then onto the helicopter…shuffle forward…move as close in as possible.

A couple more seconds then the earth falls away and we rise up…leaning forward…moving fast and low…getting out of the desertlike fields and back to base for a hot shower and some food.

Another op. down; one more closer to getting home, and no-one killed. A quiet one for me, but then it’s good when the medic has a quiet one.

I put a fresh uniform on and grab a couple of the boxes that have arrived from the Fulwood and Longridge Churches. I put them into the TV room where some of the lads are watching the football. They show their appreciation by digging into the goodies and express their thanks.

I then go back to the tent to clean my rifle and tuck into the box I’ve saved for me and the lads I share this ‘home’ with. They’re all out at the back of the tent where the sun is now high and the temperature is climbing.

We sit in a circle telling tales of our adventures and cleaning our rifles and kit, all the while drinking fizzy pop and munching the sweets sent by people we don’t quite know, but will always be grateful to for being so generous.

This is what brings us back down to earth…these couple of hours talking, laughing, joking, and eating…thankful we have all got through the last couple of days safe and sound. Having these packages sent over to us fills us with happiness, and reminds us of a place we all hope we’ll come back to very soon.

Dan
(Corporal Dan Higgin-Botham, Royal Army Medical Corp.)

NB: Dan will be home again in early April, and whilst I pray that he will return to us safely, that hope is extended to all those away from their loved ones, serving in our armed forces in difficult and dangerous circumstances. May God bless them and keep them safe.

Helen <><

Dear Friends,

It all began at the end of June, when I attended an EM2 (Education for Ministers) course at The Windermere Centre in the Lake District. Entitled, ‘The Word in the Arts’, we were given a rich feast of creativity and fresh engagement with the Bible, as well as some pretty amazingly creative food by the Centre’s Chef! We looked at Theology and Social comment in Cinema – 2000 years of the Bible in Art – and Handel and Cohen: Eschatology Set to Music. If that all sounds rather high brow, it wasn’t – just an honest look at how we see God in Film, Art and Music, and something which is very close to my heart.

Next, I was off to Ushaw College in Durham, for Minister’s Summer School, which dealt with the first of a three year focus on Mission. Here we discussed Mission in the British Context, looking at how social trends affect the spread of the Gospel and how Church needs to adapt in the way it exists within the community. Interestingly enough, we watched the 1986 film ‘The Mission’, which if you have never seen it, is worth a look because it shows how mission was carried out by 18th Century Spanish Jesuit priests. Our whole group was stunned into silence at the end of the viewing – which was a remarkable feat in itself!

A few days later, my travels took me to the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, for the URC General Assembly. This was my first full assembly, made even more special by being presented to the Moderator, with other ‘new’ ministers.

Last, but not least, came my ‘End of Year One’ EM2 Reflection weekend back up at the Windermere Centre. Here, all the new ministers who had started their journeys more or less at the same time in 2007, met up again to reflect and compare strategies for life in our various pastorates. John Campbell (Principle of Northern College, which trains ministerial candidates and the like), led us through such sessions as, ‘Spinning Plates: strategies for crash control and coolness’ – ‘Balancing Acts’ – ‘People, power and personality’, as well as looking at Gordon MacDonald’s “Law’s of Unseized Time” (from ‘Ordering your private world’, (c) 1984, Nashville). It was all designed to help us make the most of ministerial life, without hurtling head long into burnout.

Now, as I write this, I am looking forward to a couple of weeks of ‘real holiday’, so that by the time you read this, I will be refreshed and rested and ready to begin in September all that constitutes ministerial life here in Preston and Longridge in my second year here with you all.

Thank you for sharing your faith journey’s with me so far, forgive me if I haven’t quite lived up to what you were expecting, help me to change the things I need to change, as we continue to journey together as the people of God.

God bless,
Helen
<><

Dear Friends,

‘Love is in the air, everywhere you look around – or so the popular song goes. But is it? Today, as I write, many people will be celebrating St. Valentine’s Day. A day when, regardless of its origins, cards, flowers and chocolates become big business as we declare undying love to that ‘special someone’ in our lives. (Don’t worry; I did get a card and flowers from Colin!!)

But on the face of it, there doesn’t seem to be much love around. The Newspapers, TV and Radio, all report the violence on our streets; contentious issues seem to cause argument and ill-feeling; the Biblical teaching of ‘Love thy neighbour’ seems to get more and more difficult
each day.

However, do not despair – I came across this very heart warming story, which proves that love is not dead, but perhaps is something we need to work at.

‘My grandparents were married for over half a century, and played their own special game from the time they first met. The goal of their game was to write the word “shmily” in a surprise place for the other to find. They took turns leaving “shmily” around the house, and as soon as one of them discovered it, it was their turn to hide it once more.

There was no end to the place “shmily” would pop up. Little notes with “shmily” scribbled hurriedly were found on dashboards and car seats, under pillows. “Shmily” was written in the dust upon the mantel and traced in the ashes of the fireplace. This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents’ house as the furniture.

But there was a dark cloud in their life: my grandmother had breast cancer. The disease had first appeared ten years earlier. As always, Grandpa was with her every step of the way. He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that way so that she could always be surrounded
by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside.

Now the cancer was again attacking her body. With the help of a cane, and my grandfathers’ steady hand, they went to church every morning. But my grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house any more. For a while, Grandpa would go to church
alone, praying to God to watch over his wife. Then one day, what we all dreaded finally happened. Grandma was gone.

“Shmily” was scrawled in yellow on the pink ribbons of her funeral bouquet. As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, my aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members came forward and gathered around Grandma one last time. Grandpa stepped up to my grandmother’s casket and, taking a shaky breath, he began to sing to her. Through his tears and grief, the song came, a deep and throaty lullaby.

Shaking with my own sorrow, I will never forget that moment. For I knew that, although I couldn’t begin to fathom the depth of their love, I had been privileged to witness its unmatched beauty.

S – h – m – i – l – y : See How Much I Love You.’

As we move from Valentines, through the season of Lent, to the celebration of Easter – we are reminded once more that, whether or not we have been fortunate enough to experience the type of love in the story, there is a greater love.

The love that God showed to humanity, the love which saw His only Son die on a cross for our sin, the love which continues to forgive unconditionally, is ours – no strings attached!

When we look around our world, we may sometimes have to search around for the “shmily” notes; occasionally they are written boldly and un-missable; but never is the love of God hidden.

Maybe, when we gather round the empty cross on Easter Day, there should be written above it, in big bold letters…

See How Much I Love You

(Story adapted from ‘A Bucket of Surprises’ by J John & M Stibbe)

Yours in Christ
Helen
<><

“Dear Friends,

Well, here we are at last! Colin and I, plus Basil, are happily settled in the manse, and I am beginning to find my feet. All sounds very simple doesn’t it, but in reality it has been a lot more challenging than that! There have been names, faces, meetings, Circuit plans, preaching plans, introductions and much more to come to grips with – but what has been so lovely is that you have completely understood, and have accepted this ‘rookie’ Minister in ways which I could not even begin to thank you for.

Moving to a new place is often traumatic – even when the area is vaguely familiar – and in many ways, relocating to Lancashire has been a voyage of rediscovery for me. During the last couple of weeks, on holiday, Colin and I have been exploring places I used to visit as a small child and I’m sure he has got fed up of me saying, ‘Oh, I remember when…..’!! But, the wonder of God’s creation in this part of the world is so apparent even when it is raining, and when the sun comes out, you cannot fail to be captured by the scenic beauty all around. If this seems idyllic – it is! – though I’m sure that there will be times when the pressure of ministry will overshadow things, and life won’t always seem so rosy. I pray that during these times God will give me the resources and the fellowship to overcome the doubts and fears and help me to focus on what an awesome privilege ministry is.

However, there is a new voyage of discovery to be made now, as we explore together what it means to be ‘church’ in this place. At times that might mean trying something new that we’re not too sure of – or revisiting something that’s been done before – or simply just carrying on what we do already. I’m a great believer in the phrase “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, but there are occasions when a little tweak doesn’t go amiss!! Whatever ways we choose to minister to those around us and proclaim God’s Kingdom to those we meet by the example of our own lives – we need to be sure that it is discerned by the Spirit and guided by God’s hand, for it is through His grace and His strength that we are enabled to do His will.”

Yours in Christ,
Helen

“Dear Friends, 

Where does the time go to? As I type this, it is Shrove Tuesday and it doesn’t seem any time at all since last Shrove Tuesday. They say there are only two certainties in this life — death and taxes. I would like to suggest two others. The first is that time never stands still. It rushes on and on. We know that when things aren’t going well, time can seem to drag and when we’re having a good time, it goes even faster than usual. There is so much to do in life that I often wish I could stop time or get an extra day or two in the week but I find comfort in the words of scripture which remind us that to God, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years as a day. This means He has time to see every tiny detail of every person, every day and yet he has a total overview of all of life. Indeed time like every other aspect of life was created by God for our good, so let’s make sure we find some to give back to him in thanks.

My second certainty is the love of God. God’s love doesn’t change. Have you ever met a child who has been badly hurt emotionally? When children have been badly treated by their carers, they often test out anyone else who tries to love them. They sometimes feel that they must be unlovable if their own family doesn’t love them so anyone else must be doing nice things for some twisted reason of their own. We had a foster child who took the other children’s Easter Eggs and ground them into the carpets and slashed their Christmas presents to pieces amongst other things.

I wonder how often we treat God like this. This world perhaps treats us badly and God comes to our aid but we don’t want to know. We don’t trust his motives. We think he must want something from us. We really don’t believe that his love for us is totally unconditional and never changes.

As we go through Lent we will be reminded again just how far he is prepared to go to show us that his love does not change — not in this time nor in eternity. May the knowledge of God’s love motivate us to use out time to re-evaluate our lives during Lent and empower us with the joy and strength of the Resurrection this Easter.”