Last Sunday, as part of our Lenten series, I read out the reflection from Caiaphas the high priest (you can listen to it here). Before I did that though, I put on my clergy vestments in front of the congregation, explaining the history of each item as I did so.

For those that missed it, it is the equivalent of wearing two dresses, a belt and a scarf on top of your usual clothing – it feels very heavy and very cosy.

For me though, it was also a very profound moment – remembering my call to ordination and the promises that I made to God, and to you, God’s people, at that time. Remembering all that God is calling me to be.........to be in my fullness.

The joy of MCC Newcastle (and MCCs worldwide) is that we are all called by God to serve – it is not just clergy or church leaders. When we are in the right place, using our gifts and skills to serve God, then that is when we are in our fullness. Sometimes, we are faced with difficulties or challenges. Sometimes everything seems to fit together and we are flying. Either way, there is a great peace or fulfilment from really knowing that we are being fully ourselves.

It is one of my greatest delights as your pastor, to see people living out their ministry and just shining with the joy of whatever it is that they are doing. In our Bedrock beliefs discussion this week, we spent some time talking about how we have all experienced God through other people – whether they helped and supported us in a particular way, or just by being with them on our journey through life.

I invite you to take time to pray this week about your own personal call – what is it that God has equipped and called you to do?
  
God bless

Cecilia

There have been some tragic events happening in the past few days: the soldier in Afghanistan opening fire on those sleeping families and the 22 children killed in the coach accident in Switzerland. There is the ongoing slaughter in Syria.

It is easy to feel hopeless and powerless in the light of such events. We cannot make sense of them, because they are senseless. The human mind wants to find a reason for why these things happen. Sometimes, we can see evil at work,
sometimes although, bad things do just happen.

We might also ask “Where is God in all of this?”

We are still only halfway through the process for finding out what our Bedrock Beliefs are at MCC Newcastle. However, in our discussions so far, a common thread is that God is always with us, always present, always faithful, always.....

We may not always feel God’s presence, we may grow angry at God for not acting, or for not responding to our
prayers in a timely manner, or in the way we envisage.  What also seems to be true though, is that when things are tough or even tragic for us, as a community, or as individuals, we rely on the fact that God is still with us,
that God is always.....

So where is God in all of this? God is in the midst of it, working through people, just like us, to help those affected by these terrible events.
 
Let us keep all who are suffering in our prayers this week. 


God bless

Cecilia

At the weekend, Cardinal O’Brien, one of the country’s most senior Catholics, made some very outspoken comments about gay marriage. He wishes to retain the definition of marriage as a lifelong commitment solely between a man and a  woman. He quotes the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and implies that widening the definition of marriage to include same sex couples would represent “a grotesque subversion of a universally accepted human right”.

Sadly, the Cardinal fails to consider another basic human right – the right to freely exist and to love. There are five countries in the world where homosexuality is punishable by death and over 70 others, where being lesbian or gay carries a prison sentence. This of course does not include all the countries where violent homophobia and transphobia is encouraged or tolerated by the state.

I have yet to hear of a heterosexual couple who feel that their love and commitment to each other is lessened because others are allowed to celebrate and cherish love too. However, when people are killed, attacked or imprisoned, simply because of how our God created them and for whom they love, then we are all diminished as human beings.

Let us pray this week for freedom to love and to be fully loved, without fear.

 
God bless

Cecilia

After one of the mildest winters on records, Spring is well and truly all around - new buds, fresh growth, lighter
mornings and longer evenings.

Have you noticed that new growth is happening at church too?

Now we have our new sound system and so our Music
Team sound better than ever. The Sound team is growing
and developing, learning together how to get the best from the equipment that we have invested in. We have two Messy Church services under our belt and have already planned the activities for the next two. The Messy Church team is buzzing with ideas about how we support the families in our church with a worship service that best fits their needs. After the inspiring Winterfest, Kate is developing a Socials team to help her plan our socials calendar. Our new Worship team has worked hard to plan our Lenten services. Of course, the Office Angels, the Board and the Welcome Team all continue their ministries too.

It takes all of us to create this space where we can say to each other "Be yourself. Find Meaning. Know God".

I hope that this Spring you will also find areas in your life where you are growing, changing, finding new life.

God bless,

Cecilia