I just wanted to take this time to wish you all a happy 2021. They say we don’t know what we have until we no longer have it; well, I think 2020 certainly taught us that truth, we missed our family gatherings, in some cases we said goodbye to family as they continued their journey home to Spirit.

But we also realised what we took for granted, how many of us had previously given a thought about nipping to the supermarket to pick up whatever, whenever (not mentioning toilet rolls). How many of us had taken for granted being able to make an appointment with our Doctor? Or going to work or taking the kids to school, even the booking of a family holiday. I certainly said a big thank you to people who still came to collect my rubbish despite the risk to their health, the people who still kept open the supermarkets, the doctors, nurses, the cleaners and teachers, and many others who made 2020 a little easier to deal with.

It also taught me the best Christmas was not the one with the biggest gifts under the tree, but instead the people who I loved and called family being with me. So instead of regretting 2020 let’s reflect on what it has taught us all... 

WE ALL NEED EACH OTHER.

The Brotherhood of Man in operation. We are all part of each other, part of one stupendous whole. We were never meant to live in isolation, we are all dependent on one another, so in knowing this lets start to now be more mindful of each other’s needs, not focusing on the differences. These following words were quoted by King George VI^th at Christmas 1939 as we faced a 2^nd world war. Maybe they are just as poignant today: 

‘And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year,

Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown’.

And he replied;

‘go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God, that shall be better than light and safer to know’.

 

As we stand on the threshold of uncertainty not knowing what 2021 will bring for us. let us remember that God and the Spirit world are always at our side, we are never truly alone. I will leave the final words to that great 1970’s band Slade.

‘Look to the future now it’s only just begun’.

 

Minister Jackie Wright