Skip to main content

Parish Explorations!!

 Hi folks

Bear with me folks, please read carefully.



Most folks who know me by now know that I really enjoy Science Fiction (also known as sci-fi). Many of the things we now take for granted were originally envisioned as futuristic devices in early sci-fi - such as communicators being used by Star Trek to communicate with each other - now known as mobile phones.

They also showed people commanding the “computer” by voice - now commonplace with devices such as Amazon Alexa, Google Hub, and many other smart device.  Digital tablets were first shown on Stanly Kubrick\s fantastic film “2001”, with HAL controlling the main operations of the space craft.

Driverless cars, modern aviation, space race, planetary exploration, even summon devices such as ovens that heat food in seconds (microwave ovens anyone?) all have their roots in someone’s dreams.

Apocalyptic books and films that depict a desperate future where humanity struggles against a common adversity such as aliens, nuclear holocaust, zombies, or even pandemic infections have now been put into a whole new perspective given our world’s current situation!  Whoever guessed at the start of the year how this would progress must have been surprised.  No one could have guessed a worldwide lockdown and a global economic crash by March, and a struggle to rebuild society by the end of the summer!  It was way beyond my imagination, and took us all by surprise!

Some of my greatest daydreams always started with Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s famous words at the start of every episode or film in the Star Trek series - “to boldly go where no one has gone before”.  Those words, despite the split infinitive, sparked adventures that pass imagination!

Anyway - back to today!  It is my intention to have our first Drive-In Holy Communion service on Sunday 30th August.  In a real sense, we will be going where no one has gone before, or at least in our parish! Many of us haven’t actually had Holy Communion since the start of the current pandemic, but we are going to have a go next week.  It will be different - especially as only the bread will be distributed (safely and with careful social distancing rules), and the clergy (myself and David) will receive the wine.  I sincerely wish I could do it differently - but I really can’t!

I will go to each car and give the bread following the Thanksgiving prayer, rather than you coming to me, and as usual, you will not be compelled to receive.  The old phrase, “All may, some should, but none must” is particularly appropriate. As ever, our table is always open to all those who have called Jesus their Saviour

It will feel different - for us all - but given our present circumstances I feel it is the best we can do to explore our future.  “It’s life Jim, but not as we know it” is another famous quotation from my Star Trek Series! Or rather “It’s Holy Communion folks, but not as we’ve had it before”!!

Please consider coming along to Aghavea Parish Church on Sunday 30th August at 11am to join us for a celebration of Holy Communion.

Johnny

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Summer Readers

 Hi folks As we enter our summer period, please find our readings and hymns for July 2025. Each Sunday there will be a selection of parishioners reading our lessons - as shown on our list. If you're not available for the given Sunday, please feel free to ask someone to cover - and our church wardens and clergy are always available as a backup on the day. Alternatively, if you would like to read a lesson in Church, drop me a message, comment on Facebook, or speak to us at the services. We would love to add new readers of all ages, Gid's Word is for us all.  Blessings Johnny  
Post a Comment
Read more

August Hymns and Readings

 Hi folks Here's the next list for the readings, readers and hymns for our services throughout August. There are five Sundays this month, and in our normal pattern, our fifth Sunday will be a Cafe Church service in the Parish Hall. As ever - this is just a guide, if you need to swap your date - just let someone know. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to read each month, and if you'd like to join the list, please let the church wardens or the Rector know. If we need to do so, both David and the Rector are more than happy to fill in for any given reading! 
Post a Comment
Read more

AccessNI Check process

 Hi folks Please see the following pages for the process of getting our AccessNI accreditation for our Sunday School and GFS leaders and helpers. You will need to print out the pages and keep a special note of the long number provided to you by email and let me know as soon as possible. We require an Enhanced check for everyone - and use the PIN number 918066 as detailed on the first page. The second page details the forms of identification you will need to provide - one from the first group, and two from the second group. The quicker we can all get the checks completed, the sooner we can get everything back to normal and put this whole process behind us for another three years! If you can photograph yourself (by smartphone or tablet) and email (revdjohnny@gmail.com) or WhatsApp (07488371680) them to me, that'd be great. I will also be available at the Parish Hall on Monday evening from 7pm to 8pm to help you with anything you would like assistance with! If you need any help at all...
Post a Comment
Read more