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

Hiroshima Remembrance

Hi folks Today, 6th August 2025, is the 80th anniversary since the United States of America dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Shortly afterwards, they dropped a similar device on another Japanese city of Nagasaki. Between the two events, over 200,000 people died, and Japan surrendered - ending the Second World War. The ripples from these two horrific events are still felt today, and the lessons from them are more relevant in today's world than ever before! Each day we hear about the tensions around the world regarding nations developing nuclear weapons, threatening to release havoc upon the world. Although the weapons are often referred to as deterants, the danger is that the whole world could be effectively ended within minutes if someone decided to release their particular weapon upon an enemy state! I pray that today reminds the world leaders about the absolute devastation that these weapons bring. They do not distinguish between combatants or civilians. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Eighth Sunday after Trinity

Hi folks Please find the service sheet for Sunday 10th August 2025, Morning Prayer Two. As usual, we will be streaming the service via Facebook at 11am. Regards 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