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| BMS Action Team: Bonnie, Sam, Deborah, Dom |
I’m writing
this the day after the European Referendum – the day after we left our ‘mark’
at the polling booths with a majority of British voters opting to leave the ‘Community’. I suspect the result of yesterday’s vote will
go down as a moment in history. Our prayer
must surely be that nationally we will ‘pull together’ to make the best of the ‘different
future’ which is now before us and, internationally, that we remain an ‘outward
looking’ nation, welcoming and always ready to dialogue in a friendly, intelligent
and generous manner with our continental neighbours.
That phrase, ‘making our mark’, reminded me that my great, great grandparents, James and Mary Pettifer couldn’t write their names on the marriage certificate issued to them at Sarrat Parish Church on Dec 14th 1867 – so a simply X replaced the expected signature – but at least they had left their ‘mark’!
The death of the MP for Batley and Spen, Jo Cox seems to have been part of the Referendum story of recent weeks – and amid all the tragedy surrounding her untimely death it is, I think, worth saying that her short life left a tremendously inspiring ‘mark’ on those around her. She seems to have been the epitome of a principled public servant.
Talking of good people who inspire us, I just want to say that the four youngsters who spent the week with us from BMS – the Action Team, reporting on their time in Mozambique: Dom, Sam, Bonnie and Deborah – really put their ‘mark’ on us at AFC. We delighted in their enthusiasm, courtesy and wonderful ‘team’ spirit – it was a privilege to have them as guests here in Amersham for all too short a time and we wish them God’s blessing for coming days.
Perhaps the words of ‘Lord for the years’ form a good prayer for us now as our nation charts a new and different course on the world stage: ‘Past put behind us, for the future take us’.
May God help us all to put our ‘mark’ on life in a way that pleases Him and blesses our neighbour.
With best wishes,
That phrase, ‘making our mark’, reminded me that my great, great grandparents, James and Mary Pettifer couldn’t write their names on the marriage certificate issued to them at Sarrat Parish Church on Dec 14th 1867 – so a simply X replaced the expected signature – but at least they had left their ‘mark’!
The death of the MP for Batley and Spen, Jo Cox seems to have been part of the Referendum story of recent weeks – and amid all the tragedy surrounding her untimely death it is, I think, worth saying that her short life left a tremendously inspiring ‘mark’ on those around her. She seems to have been the epitome of a principled public servant.
Talking of good people who inspire us, I just want to say that the four youngsters who spent the week with us from BMS – the Action Team, reporting on their time in Mozambique: Dom, Sam, Bonnie and Deborah – really put their ‘mark’ on us at AFC. We delighted in their enthusiasm, courtesy and wonderful ‘team’ spirit – it was a privilege to have them as guests here in Amersham for all too short a time and we wish them God’s blessing for coming days.
Perhaps the words of ‘Lord for the years’ form a good prayer for us now as our nation charts a new and different course on the world stage: ‘Past put behind us, for the future take us’.
May God help us all to put our ‘mark’ on life in a way that pleases Him and blesses our neighbour.
With best wishes,
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