Month: October 2020

We pray for America at its time of decision.
This will affect us all profoundly,
but there’s nothing we can do about it.
We turn to you, O God, and pray for that country
to become a beacon of democracy,
a place of hope and justice,
a place from which all the world can learn reconciliation.
May that nation do justice, love mercy
and walk humbly with its god.

Still damp for a walk in the Miller’s Dale area.

Please pray for the people of Izmir and Samos after the earthquake. This includes many refugees, and the earthquake has taken what little they had. Pray for reconciliation between Turkey and Greece, between East and West.

Not fancying having to hang my cagoule up over the bath for the third time this week, I’ve so far stayed indoors, to make a minor tweak to the Prayers for Places website. As it often happens, a minor tweak takes longer than expected. But it’s done now, although a little crude. FWIW we now have 447 prayers tied to geographical locations.

The Lectionary for Sunday includes a second Old Testament reading from Micah, in which the prophet speaks out against the corruption he sees in high places (including prophets and religious leaders). And yet our experience is that corruption has proved durable in the world, hard to eliminate. Corruption and lies are an attack on democracy itself. Note one of the complaints… “3:11 Its rulers give judgement for a bribe, its priests teach for a price, its prophets give oracles for money;…” That’s a bit sobering to hear for me, since I live on an adequate pension provided by the church. Of course I never accepted bribes. One time a bottle of wine from an undertaker appeared on the doorstep just before Christmas and I embarrassedly fed into a raffle or jumble sale or some such. … But I often found myself tending to say what I thought people would want to hear – or saying things in the nicest way I could, at the back of my mind fearing that I might find it hard to stay in a job. No such scruples for Micah, though. He tells it like it is.

Janet continues to add her insights on the Rule of Benedict in the form of letters on her blog. The latest is about sleep, with a brilliant quilt thrown in for good measure.

I could take a picture of the rain if you wanted, but today’s isn’t very interesting.

God, take away the corruption and dishonesty
from the political life of our country,
and from the countries of the world.
Help us to take even the hardest decisions
with clear-eyed honesty.
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

After yesterday’s wet walk, today’s been just a little bit showery so far. Yesterday, Janet kindly dropped me off on Northern Horse Route, and I made my way home. At first it was drizzle, then, with some lapses, moderate rain. How many words can you think of for rain? What falls out of the sky has many varieties. The autumn leaves look good at the minute, enhanced by the contrast with shadowy, dark, rain-stained tree trunks. Here are some different autumn trees, quite muted en masse….

Creator God,
I thank you for the endless variety of nature.
God in Christ,
I thank you for the many ways your love is known.
God-Spirit,
Fill me up, body, mind and soul.
God of Everything,
as I walk with you, teach me how to do justice
and love mercy.

Sad to see that immunity to COVID-19 may not last very long. The jury’s still out on this – whether it’s true, and if so what reinfections might look like in future – maybe milder. But it’s possible there might be a long spell where it’s still around the place – not helped by antivaxers. Nevertheless, with good will it’s quite possible to live with this. If it does turn out to be a long-term thing, it makes it all the more important to deal with the poverty that puts many people in more danger.

God give us healing.
Heal our society,
so that we can tackle
the battle against disease.

…when I set out. However, about 45 minutes into the walk, it started, and the showers have been more-or-less joined up since then, quite heavy at times. Still the rain is handy in many ways. There’s nearly half a megawatt of hydroelectric power in Longdendale, and a similar amount elsewhere in the Peak District catchment. And according to this (now a few years old) report, there’s scope to more than double the Peak District’s contribution. I know it doesn’t compare to offshore wind, but it’s fairly simple to achieve.

My sleep pattern was never ultra-settled anyway, and the changing of the clocks has put it out a little bit. I lay awake in bed musing on the meanings of the verb ‘tack’ and decided there were probably a number of similarities between dressmaking and welding.

It’s very gloomy outside now, and there must be a big shower in the offing.

The Trail Decorators have been at it again for half-term. I’m at best ambivalent about the whole Halloween thing, as practised in the English-speaking world, but it’s nice to see the place so cheerful anyway.

As you give us, dear God,
difference in your generous weather,
in raging wind, and misty calm,
in fierce sun and lashing rain;
so help us live in a world of difference,
with curiosity and joy,
and keeping hold of our trust in you.

PS the rain is indeed heavy again.

In next Sunday’s Lectionary, Jesus says (according to Matthew’s gospel), “The greatest among you will be your servant.”

More in due course, I expect, but for the time being, just think about that. How would things be if we took that seriously, especially those of us already in power? It’s not a fragment of Scripture to be quoted from a position of power at somebody who has none, saying “be humble, bow down”, while being unhumble oneself. A bit Pharisaical, that would be.

Off to the local grocers’ this morning. I’m glad that the people who work there keep on going. It can’t be very easy, stacking shelves, dealing with confused people and with drunks who think face-coverings are for wimps. It’s a great job they do, and essential. Kudos.

But kudos butters no parsnips.

Thank you God,
for the food that grows,
for the people who farm it,
those who transport it,
those who work in shops to sell it.
Thank you God.

Give us all, this day, our daily bread.

Out early this morning, first walk of the season using the head-torch for a few minutes. Even in the lightest drizzle, not even enough to cause dampness, the torch’s beam made it look like a minor blizzard.

Low and high clouds this morning…

It’s the high clouds you’ve got to watch out for.

We will worship you in the heights,
worship you in the depths;
we will worship you now and evermore.

Sunday’s Lectionary includes a bit from 1 Thessalonians. Paul is anxious to let the readers know that they can trust him and need to hear what he is saying. But how do we know whom to trust? All the words in the world saying ‘trust me’ count for nothing. But at least Paul and his fellow-traveller(s) can point to the evidence of their deeds. Is what somebody does consistent with what they say? Of course with an unknown person it’s not possible to gather that evidence. Tight-knit communities, for all their faults (which are many) at least give you a chance of knowing whether someone is to be trusted. In politics, the problem is also very real. People who have become too cynical about ‘politicians’ will vote for anyone, because they can’t be any worse than all the others. Attacks on news channels and the rise of social media are potentially dangerous to democracy – how do we know anything for sure? Why should anyone’s private life have any relevance to their suitability to serve the country? Well, on the whole it shouldn’t – but OTOH, would you take lessons in being careful from somebody who doesn’t even know how many children he has?

Anyway, like anyone in politics, Paul has a message. For that, read on in the letter.

So. Deeds, not words. And the tier one deeds, the most fundamental and important, are about the necessities of life. Are children entitled to be fed? Some think not. See what Janet says about this.…

God of love,
we give ourselves to
feed the hungry,
care for those in need,
do the Good News of Christ.