A message from the Rector, Hannah Jeffery, during this time of global pandemic.
This time of global pandemic has shown us more than ever, the realities of living in a world where we are not exempt from pain, suffering and struggle. As a group of churches in the Benefice of Desborough, Braybrooke, Brampton Ash and Dingley we are doing all we can to support our communities and I hope you feel able to get in touch if there is anything we can do to support you.
I know how incredibly difficult this time is for so many of you - those who have suffered loss, loneliness, illness and more. But I hope that you are able, in the midst of all the struggle, to hold on to that amazing hope that we have in Christ. That hope that we are encouraged to always be ready to give a reason for: 'Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect' (1 Peter 3:15).
It may be that you're not feeling very hopeful right now, but if that is the case I wonder what you are basing your hope on. You see the hope that is being talked about here is not a hope that covid-19 will be gone by a certain date, or that we won't go into more lockdowns, or anything else of that nature. It's a hope that is far more certain than that - it's the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
What is that hope you may ask? It's the hope of life! The gospel story demonstrated in Jesus shows us something very important. It shows us that pain, suffering and even death are a part of the world we are currently in, as demonstrated by Jesus' life and death. Jesus was not exempt from pain, suffering or even injustice. But it shows us more. It shows us too that out of pain, out of self-giving love, out of death, comes resurrection. Jesus came to show that we can base our hope in a promise that resurrection will always come. We don't always know when, or how, but come it will. We can trust that even out of the awfulness of the current time, God will bring life out of it. One-day of course God's new kingdom will come in all its fullness, we have that promise to hold on to. That day when all suffering and pain will be gone. But in the meantime we can still trust and hope that even in the midst of this current crisis, God is still at work to bring life out of death, hope out of despair, joy out of grief. None of that eradicates the pain we may also go through, but it is a hope we can trust in.
We have a hope that we're called to be ready to give a reason for. In the midst of all that faces you now, do you know the hope that is yours in Christ? I encourage you to focus on that hope - the one that is steadfast and certain, as you continue to trust in God during these difficult times. He will bring new life, often in ways we don't expect - keep attentive to noticing signs of that life day by day.
May God bless you, and sustain you, as you place your hope in him.
Much love
Hannah
I know how incredibly difficult this time is for so many of you - those who have suffered loss, loneliness, illness and more. But I hope that you are able, in the midst of all the struggle, to hold on to that amazing hope that we have in Christ. That hope that we are encouraged to always be ready to give a reason for: 'Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect' (1 Peter 3:15).
It may be that you're not feeling very hopeful right now, but if that is the case I wonder what you are basing your hope on. You see the hope that is being talked about here is not a hope that covid-19 will be gone by a certain date, or that we won't go into more lockdowns, or anything else of that nature. It's a hope that is far more certain than that - it's the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
What is that hope you may ask? It's the hope of life! The gospel story demonstrated in Jesus shows us something very important. It shows us that pain, suffering and even death are a part of the world we are currently in, as demonstrated by Jesus' life and death. Jesus was not exempt from pain, suffering or even injustice. But it shows us more. It shows us too that out of pain, out of self-giving love, out of death, comes resurrection. Jesus came to show that we can base our hope in a promise that resurrection will always come. We don't always know when, or how, but come it will. We can trust that even out of the awfulness of the current time, God will bring life out of it. One-day of course God's new kingdom will come in all its fullness, we have that promise to hold on to. That day when all suffering and pain will be gone. But in the meantime we can still trust and hope that even in the midst of this current crisis, God is still at work to bring life out of death, hope out of despair, joy out of grief. None of that eradicates the pain we may also go through, but it is a hope we can trust in.
We have a hope that we're called to be ready to give a reason for. In the midst of all that faces you now, do you know the hope that is yours in Christ? I encourage you to focus on that hope - the one that is steadfast and certain, as you continue to trust in God during these difficult times. He will bring new life, often in ways we don't expect - keep attentive to noticing signs of that life day by day.
May God bless you, and sustain you, as you place your hope in him.
Much love
Hannah