The Rector’s letter ~    August 2010

Dear Friends,
     Disagreements between families, friends, communities and institutions are a normal part of our human nature and weakness. We always disagree with one another over what we like and dislike. It is because we are made the way we are; totally free     individuals with different minds from the other. God’s Word tells us that we are created by God to be God’s people and race to share God’s love with one another throughout the world.

    Therefore individuals and their families must live in communities to share their gifts and talents complementing each other for the welfare and prosperity of all. God has provided us all with the ability to judge what is right and wrong, the moral code of practice is implanted in us, making us the highest created beings with the power to reason, experiment, create and test, using our minds, hands, and voice to travel beyond our earth’s gravity above in space and below deep in the oceans.

    We have the ability to discover God, to communicate with God even’though we do not see God physically. We have a spiritual part of our being speaking to us, enabling us to pray and worship a Living Being that is higher than ourselves.  Looking at our beginning, where we come from, we are shaped and modelled by family life, community life and institutions to which we belong. These ties can  dictate our actions - either they are for prosperity or destruction.

    In the Commonwealth of Nations we live and have relationships with one      another upholding democratic rule; elected members of parliaments; independent judiciary   and courts; police under oath to serve the country and not self;  freedom of speech with Her Majesty as Head of the Commonwealth. But under individual nations we have our own policies and that is where we create problems for ourselves and  others in the world. Think of great empires and civilizations around the world - they were created by taking wealth from others; there was a lot of injustice, making past history very ugly to read.

    Terrorism today is taking many forms and is destroying peace and harmonious living. Even the church is not free from that either. Church history is full of schisms and  we are in for still another division in our Anglican family. Church politics are disastrous, taking away the core message of the Gospel and Good News of Jesus Christ which should be the forefront of the Body of Christ.

   The Church of England needs Renewal and Revival by the Holy Spirit; to get away from squabbling and slinging mud at each other over human desires and pride. Let us allow God’s voice to be heard once more by His family. Let us stop this terrorism style of ministry. Let us return to the basics and principles of our Faith! Let us revisit Holy Scriptures and turn away from error. Let us read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them. Let us feed our minds on God’s Holy Word.

   If we live in fear of offending others who are in the wrong, then who is going to save them from their wrongs?
    General Synod, Diocesan Synods, Church Parochial Councils and Conferences are God’s Agents to speak God’s mind on things lawful and right. We need a lot of praying for God’s wisdom so that the Church may do the right thing over   issues that are divisive and hurtful to different congregations, so that God’s Glory and honour may be seen.

 I believe the church is wrong in creating divisions and not standing for the truth of the Gospel, it has failed its responsibility to speak the truth. So what do we do now? We have to live with our divisions and wounded souls - a problem we have created. Jesus said, I am the way, I am the truth, and I am the life. Let us look to Jesus when things get into confusion so that He may lead us out to a better path that leads to God’s truth.
Your Fellow co- worker in Christ,      …William