Vicar’s June letter

Dear friends,

The weather had a brief upturn over the Bank Holiday weekend at the beginning of May. I decided it was about time I had the bike out for a run. I had chance for a break on Sunday afternoon and went out to the garage. The bike was dirty and I felt a bit bad that I had not cleaned it properly for ages. But it still looked good. I was so looking forward to getting out for a ride but I wanted to check that it started alright before I got ready. I hadn’t started it for a while and the last time I had tried it made some horrible noises and wouldn’t start. I was a bit worried that all might not be well.

I took the lock off the front wheel, unlocked the ignition and turned it on, turned off the immobiliser, turned on the petrol, pulled out the choke and pressed the starter. The engine turned over a time or two but did not come to life. I tried again. No success again. And the battery had no more to give. I called Chris and he came round and helped me jump start the bike from his car. It started first time.

What a wonderful sound. I went out for a great ride, the bike ran really well and I thought a little bit of a run would help put some life into the battery. The bike started first time on Monday morning and I went for a longer run, but a day or two later there was again no life in the battery and the bike wasn’t going anywhere. However beautiful the bike looked, however wonderful it sounded when it was running, however great it felt riding through the forest on a bright spring day, it was not much use without the power needed to get it started! Thankfully this was easily sorted, I bought a new battery and all is well.

Two weeks after this, we were celebrating the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The disciples had spent 40 days with the risen Jesus, but, after his ascension to heaven, they were still confused and fearful. They knew they had a mission to engage in – Jesus had told them to spread the Good News in Jerusalem, through Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. But they weren’t doing anything. They were waiting in the upper room, as Jesus had told them to do. They didn’t have the power they needed to get started. Thankfully this was easily sorted, God sent his Holy Spirit on them and all was well. They went out and preached the gospel. 3000 came to believe in Jesus that day and the word spread to the end of the earth.

I hope you have a good strong battery, enabling you to get on your way whenever you are travelling, particularly if you are in a hurry. If not, get it sorted before you have a problem!

I hope and pray the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, enabling us to be the people that God wants us to be, particularly if we really want to make a difference with our lives. If not, we need to “get it sorted” – we only have to ask!

God bless