If you have been in church recently, or watching on line, you will be aware that I have been in a reflective mood of late. Think that is because of the anniversary on my induction, and two years feels like a reflective space for me.
Reflections and images are funny things. They play a big part in life, in stories, from Hitchcock and Agatha Christie stories to Sleeping Beauty. Mirrors and reflections all play a big part in our understandings, and how we see ourselves.
In the world of the ‘selfie’ it’s a whole other realm as it’s like a picture and reflection at the same time. Very strange indeed.
How we see ourselves and how we are two completely different perspectives. For example, recently I had to renew my passport, and I was shocked to see the picture that came back, I was really surprised that the old man in the passport was actually me!!! Or when I was in Edinburgh recently and my friend took a ‘selfie’ I was really surprised to see that I was grey haired. News to me, I can tell you!!
So why don’t I notice these things when I look in a mirror? What does a camera see that my eyes don’t…with or without glasses.
Sometimes it’s about perspective, isn’t it? When I look in the mirror, I can choose the angle, how to have my chin, how to tilt my head towards the last patch of less dark grey that I pretend is still the black hair of my youth. Whereas the camera sometimes chooses the angle for you….and you have nowhere to hide….
So, two years in, or 730 days, you know what I am like now regardless of what angle you are looking at me. I hope you have a feel for the style of ministry I feel called to give here as we set a direction for the future.
We can look back in the past with fond memories, but we are all changed, as church, and as people, and changing all the time.
So, let’s take a moment to reflect, and have an honest look down the lens.
We are not the church of 20 or 30 years ago, but…. we are a growing church, new people are coming, younger people are coming people are joining, we have connections with new projects, new connections with schools….
We’ve done a lot together in 730 days…. lets be ready to do much much more. Hope you are up for a challenge
Your friend and minister
Alan
