Initiation into life now and forever
Aren’t the flowers today just amazing?! Some of you will be aware that there was a funeral at St Philips this week and these are the flowers from the funeral. Now, before we descend into “Oh, how morbid….” It is important to remind ourselves that death is very much a part of life. Gwen was an important part of the St Philips community and the ongoing relationship with her family is important to us. It is also rare at a funeral NOT to see a mum with a baby somewhere down the back rocking her little one. Just as a funeral is a celebration of life and initiation into eternity the baptism of a little one is an initiation into an eternal adventure …. but at the other end. The really cool thing is that the Christian initiation process connects us with the Living God who loves us and has a purpose for us and with us. We know this because he gifted us with Jesus, God in the flesh, who is both our God and our brother. We’re not abandoned to fumble our way through! Esther, Toby and Jonah have God as their guide, advocate, counsellor, saviour and Lord! So, who is guiding your boat? How’s it going, really? As you look at these flowers today, don’t think morbid or sad; think loving, wise, present, serving, embracing, compassionate, forgiving LORD, Saviour and Guide. That’s who Jesus was for Gwen and I pray will be for Esther, Toby and Jonah. But wait…. there is more! It’s much more than just beginnings and ends! Today we are commissioning Graham and Alison to a new adventure serving Jesus in Africa. Within the bookends of beginning and ending there is a whole adventure to live. Graham and Alison are a testimony to us of people who have a relationship with Jesus that frees them to go and do things that others might think “crazy”. Jesus promised his friends “life to the full”, that’s what Graham and Alison are living. They don’t really look like thrill seekers but appearances can be deceiving. That’s part of God’s sense of humour. Blessings on all our Initiates today. Malcolm Potts