Church letter

June 2023

Click for the church letter from May 2023

Look out for and take care of one another

What a wonderful event the Coronation was last month. We heard a lot in the Coronation service, about ‘service’; service to others by our monarch. The very first words that King Charles III said, in response to the boy who welcomed him to the abbey, were, “In his name, and after his example, I come not to be served, but to serve.” The words of the Collect - the special prayer for the Coronation - said “...that we and all people may live in peace and prosperity and in loving service to one another.” These words are a timely reminder that we are all - whatever our station, whatever our role, whatever our job, whatever our vocation - called to serve our fellow people.

Think back to the life of King Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Remember the dedication that the then Princess Elizabeth made on her 21st birthday: “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.” No one can deny that she fulfilled that promise. What a hard act for King Charles to follow.

Then, we too have a hard act to follow. That is because it was Jesus who said: “I came not to be served, but to serve.” He then simplified all the rules that were in existence at the time to this: “Love God; and love our neighbour as yourself.” It was Jesus who knelt and washed his disciples’ feet, and then said, “Do you know what I have done to you? I have set you an example.” In one way, so very simple and obvious: look out for one another, and take care of one another. However, it is at the same time, such a hard thing to do; that is because there are no conditions or restrictions imposed by Jesus; ‘neighbour’ is anybody. It is not just those people who happen to be like us; it is not just those people that we like. We are simply called to love, to serve, one another.

Take a moment out of your busy day to think about the community that we live in and all the things that happen. Take a moment to give thanks for the people that make all those things happen. Each and every one of us have gifts that we can use to help others. Each and every one of us can get involved in our community - for the good of everyone in the community. Get involved, as ‘one who serves’.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, in the Coronation service, prayed: “Let each of us dedicate ourselves, in body, mind and spirit, to a renewal of faith, a joyful hope, and a commitment to serve one another in love.” May we each serve one another, in our community, in love.

Revd David Commander, Rector and Area Dean