Nature is showing us that in spite of the pandemic, the untold heartaches and stresses it has caused, life progresses, and natural laws do not diminish. Spring watch on BBC television recently confirmed this as the natural world flourished and age-old cycles continued. Birds laying new seasons eggs, fish preparing to spawn in our rivers and new life abundant in every corner of our world. The animal kingdom, unaware of Covid, going about its creation chapters as it has done for millennia and will continue doing for millennia to come. On another news item baby water voles being released countrywide to save the species from extinction. 

The pandemic has wreaked a havoc of devastating effects worldwide. But what I wonder, and have we stopped to consider, its effects on the Spirit World. A vast number of additional souls making their journey through earthly death to Spirit life. What has been the effort required to ensure the safe transition of every departing soul and the ‘meet and greet’ welcome by family and friends. I suspect we will never know. But we can take enormous comfort from the wonderful knowledge that our religion provides. Not one solitary soul will have made a lonely or bleak journey home. Every journey will have happened with accompanying support, loving kindness and a heartfelt welcome. 

I believe that now as we see ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ is the time to emulate mother nature and begin to set the foundations for the future, concentrating on the positive lessons that recent terrible times and ordeals have provided. Resolving never again to live in my privileged isolation but to continue with my acts of kindness, my compassionate considerations that support Principle Number 2. Relishing every opportunity to help, support, consider and communicate with my fellow creatures without the encouragement of a pandemic. Not just my fellow men and women but equally with the animal kingdom.

We must grasp our opportunity to follow natures example, to continue the cycle that will guarantee the future for generations to come. Embracing mother nature and doing everything humanly possible to protect her and put right as many of the historical wrongs as possible. Echoing the sentiments in our Spiritualist Hymn – ‘Union Strong with Liberty’. 

God bless.

Minister Alan Rawnsley