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

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

Pray for Peace

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9   The Holy Land, the place sanctified by the presence of prophets, poets, and priests, crying out for justice, urging on towards hope, and seeking after peace, has been, and continues to be a place sacred to millions of people around the world. We have watched with horror the appalling violence that has been unleashed over the last few days around this sacred place. We have seen families devastated, communities shattered, and countless lives lost.   We, as followers of Jesus are called in this time to pray.    Pray for the end of hostilities, pray for the protection of the most vulnerable on both sides in Israel and Gaza, and pray for a recommitment to a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. We also pray that God might grant comfort to the afflicted, healing to the broken, strength to the weak, and courage to those in authority to lay down the instruments of violence and destruction and stud
Post a Comment
Read more

Where is forgiveness?

Hi folks I was thinking about the passages for next Sunday, and it brought me to considering the current press coverage regarding the This Morning presenters.  This might be a little controversial - but please, hear me out.  I have no great opinion on what's happening in the media regarding the "This Morning" saga. It seems mistakes have been made, and certainly people misled - but the frenzy and hounding of Phillip Schofield is both unnecessary and unwarranted. I'm very uncomfortable that some members the press and celebrities have made it their lives mission to destroy everything  Mr Schofield has ever done!  It cannot be easy to listen and read so much vitriol being used against him! There's certainly no Christian love being shown to him on the media these days. I remember the words of Jesus when he told us to love one another, and that whoever has not sinned should cast the first stone. I'm certainly not perfect in any way, and don't believe that anyon
Post a Comment
Read more