The Burbage & Aston Flamville Parish Chronicle - JANUARY 2021

The Burbage &
 Aston Flamville
Parish Chronicle

JANUARY 2021   50p

Sunday, 3rd January
Epiphany
10.00 am The Parish Eucharist - Zoom
6.00 pm Epiphany Carols and Facebook live
Sunday, 10th January
The Baptism of Christ
10.00 am The Parish Eucharist - Zoom
6.00 pm Evensong - Facebook live
Sunday, 17th January
Second Sunday of Epiphany
10.00 am The Parish Eucharist - Zoom
10.00 am “Fresh Ground” – A new Family Worship Service – Facebook
live
6.00 pm Evensong - Facebook live
Sunday, 24th January
Third Sunday of Epiphany
10.00 am The Parish Eucharist - Zoom
6.00 pm Evensong - Facebook live
Sunday, 31st January
Candlemass
10.00 am The Parish Eucharist - Zoom
6.00 pm Evensong - Facebook live

Please Note: Under the latest Government guidance, the
Church is now closed for all Services. Services will continue
to be available across all social media platforms.

The Church is still open as usual for Private Prayer.

Evensong         Evensong 6.00 pm via Burbage Parish Facebook
                  page
 Zoom             Morning Prayer: Monday to Friday
 Meetings:        Zoom Coffee Morning Tuesday 10.30 am
                  Holy Communion: Wednesday 10:30am
                  Evening Prayer: Thursday 6.30 pm
 Live Streaming Compline Service 9.00 pm Monday to Friday
 via Burbage
 Parish
 Facebook page
 Church           Monday mornings 11.30 am – 1.30 pm and
 Opening Times    Foodbank drop off
 for Private      Thursday evenings 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm and
 Prayer           Foodbank drop off
                  Saturday mornings 10.00 am – 12.00 pm

Please do continue your usual weekly offering to the Church or
post it to The Rectory, New Road, Burbage LE10 2AW
If you wish to make a BACS transfer the Church Bank details are
below:
A/C No. 20174748       Sort Code 60-11-06
Website - http://parishofburbageandastonflamville.co.uk/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/
131417066929848/?ref=bookmarks
St Catherine’s Parish Burbage QR Code. Please Scan
and Give Generously.
Our Services are now being recorded and are being edited and will be
sent out to those who request them. Please contact Christine
Greenway.

We must become a ‘simpler, humbler, bolder Church’ -
Archbishops
The momentous events of 2020 will have a “profound effect” on the
future of the Church of England and our wider society, the
Archbishops of Canterbury and York have said.
In a recent joint address to the General Synod, Archbishops Justin
Welby and Stephen Cottrell said the Church of England must adapt
and put its trust in God to become a “simpler, humbler, bolder
Church."
The archbishops’ comments came as they addressed the first online
sitting of the General Synod following a legal change to enable it to
meet remotely amid the coronavirus restrictions.
They outlined how the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout
are providing the backdrop to huge social changes - here and around
the world.
Archbishop Justin told Synod: “2020 will be a year that registers in
memory and in history. “We are aware that this is a year in which huge
changes are happening in our society and consequently in the Church.
“For let us be clear, there is no possibility of changes in society failing
to have a profound effect on the shape, calling and experience of
mission in the Church.”
Outlining the dramatic events of 2020, he added: “These crises are not
signs of the absence of God but calls to recognise the presence of the
kingdom and to act in faith and courage, simplifying our life focusing
on Jesus Christ, looking outwards to the needy and renewing in our
cells our call to wash feet, to serve our society and to be the
Church for England.”
Archbishop Stephen went on to outline the work of groups set up to
discern how the Church of England might respond and change in light
of the recent challenges. He told Synod: “If we put our trust in God,
and if we learn to love one another, then I believe we can become a
simpler, humbler, bolder Church, better able to live and share the
gospel of Jesus Christ."

Canon Paul Hardingham finds the wise men’s gifts to be of help to us
now.
Epiphany for today
This month we celebrate Epiphany, when we remember the Magi
from the East who followed a star to find the baby Jesus: ‘Where is
the one who has been born king of the Jews?’ (Matthew 2:1).
At the start of a New Year, amid the uncertainty of the pandemic, are
we asking the same question? The gifts they offered show us how
we can find Him in the uncertainty of the coming year: ‘they bowed
down and worshipped Him…and presented Him with gifts of gold,
frankincense and myrrh.’ (2:11).
The gift of gold reflects that the Magi saw in the baby a king,
destined to rule over us all. In this coming year we need to
remember that Jesus is on the throne, the seat of power and
authority in the whole universe. Will we crown Him king of our lives
and dedicate all that we are and do to Him?
The gift of frankincense reflects that the visitors saw not just an
earthly king, but God in human flesh. Incense symbolises the
prayers of God’s people and so this gift reminds us that God is
worthy of our worship and prayer. Will we offer our praise and
prayer, as we seek God to guide us through the uncertainties of this
time?
The gift of myrrh reflects that these astrologers saw beyond the
baby’s birth and life, to His death which would secure life for all.
Jesus was offered myrrh on the cross and was a spice used in His
tomb. As we face the sufferings of this New Year, we can be
confident that Jesus knows and understands our experience. Are we
ready to trust Him?

‘Glorious now behold Him arise, King and God and Sacrifice! Heav’n
sings Hallelujah: Hallelujah the earth replies.’ (‘We Three Kings’).

Open that window
Here is an easy resolution for the New Year: open your windows at
home for ‘short sharp bursts’ of 10 to 15 minutes at a time, several
times a day.
The government’s public information campaign says that regular
fresh air can cut the risk of Covid transmission by more than 70 per
cent.
So, either leave a window open a small amount continuously, or
open it fully on a regular basis throughout the day, especially if
anyone has come to visit you in your home. Coronavirus is spread
through the air by droplets and smaller particles known as aerosols.
They can hang in the air for hours and they build up over time.
Smokers stubbing out
Smoking is on the decline. The number of people who successfully
quit smoking last year was the highest in a decade,
Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) reckons that more than a
million people in the UK stopped smoking during the lockdown
period. By the end of last year, smoking prevalence in England was
at an all-time low: 13.9 per cent.
That made it the most popular lifestyle change of the year, according
to Public Health England. There was also a significant surge in
smokers who are trying to quit.
Plants in your front garden
What’s in your front garden? If it is sparse, why not consider adding
some plants this year? Apparently, the presence of greenery can
lower your stress levels as much as two months of mindfulness
sessions. Plants can also help you to feel happier.
A recent trial study by the Royal Horticultural Society found that
people who introduced ornamental plants such as juniper, azalea,
clematis, lavender, daffodil bulbs and petunias had a significant

lowering of the stress hormone, cortisol, and many reported that
they felt ‘happier’.

                       CHRONICLE
      Copy for the February issue of the
               Parish Chronicle
       should be sent to Martin Mellor
           by: Monday 25th January

The cat
A vicar and his wife were going out for the evening, and carefully set
the security lights and put the cat out. But when they opened the
door to go to the taxi, the cat slipped back in and disappeared
upstairs. Irritated, the vicar followed it.
The wife waited with the taxi driver. Not wanting him to know that
they were leaving the parsonage empty, she said: "My husband is
just upstairs for a quick word with my mother.”
A few minutes later, the husband arrived, breathless. "Sorry I took
so long" he said, “but she put up a fight! Stupid old thing was hiding

under the bed and I had to poke her with a coat hanger and grab her
by the scruff of the neck to get her out.”
Prayer for New Year 2021
Dear Father God,
Here we are, nervously wobbling on the brink of this New Year. All
our hopes, expectations, plans and possibilities for last year stolen
by the relentless pandemic. The landscape of our lives has been
shaken and changed, Lord. Nothing is the same. Normality has been
redefined. 2020 was a year like no other. How dare we move into the
uncertainty of 2021?
Lord, we dare - because of the one, wonderful certainty we do have -
that You have been with us through it all. Thank you that You sent
Jesus to save us, to offer us that bigger reality of life for all eternity -
if we put our trust in Him, Jesus, who never changes. You promise
that You will never leave us or forsake us. We will be able to navigate
the challenges lie ahead, if we keep our eyes on Jesus, our compass;
if we trust His Holy Spirit to lead us, however strange and unfamiliar
the days of 2021 may be. You are with us! You are with us! You are
with us!
Thank you, Lord of the years, that You know and love each one of us,
and that we are safe in Your hands. We can go forward.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

By Daphne Kitching

The Revd Peter Crumpler, a Church of England priest in St Albans,
Herts, and a former communications director for the CofE, considers
the New Year ahead.
Five things I’d like to see in 2021
I keep hearing people say that 2020 was a ‘year like no other.’
Friends have been writing a special journal recording the year, so
they can pass it on to their grandchildren. Others just want to leave
2020 behind and look to a happier new year.
Both reactions are completely understandable. But I’ve been looking
ahead to 2021 and thinking about the five top things I’d like to see
in the year ahead. I wonder if you’ll agree with them or not? Maybe
you could put together your own list.
Let’s make sure the vaccines are distributed fairly and speedily.
Those who need the vaccine most urgently should receive it first,
with a fair system for ensuring everyone else can be vaccinated
quickly and efficiently. We need to ensure that everyone receives the
vaccine wherever they live in the world – from the poorest to the
richest. Especially, in those parts of the world where there is war,
and people are living as refugees.
Let’s learn the lessons of the pandemic – not just going back to
how life was, as quickly as possible. Many of us learnt to appreciate
our family so very much more – especially when we could not be
with them for months on end. We learnt lessons about how
important our neighbours and local businesses are, how precious

our NHS, medical researchers, care providers and other frontline
workers are. Let’s not forget them.
Let’s value nature. Those of us with gardens, or with parks or fields
nearby, have been massively blessed. I’ve learnt to pay attention to
birdsong, to the changing colours of the trees, and how unexpected
plants have taken root in our garden. Pets have played a major part
in helping us endure the lockdowns, especially for people who live
alone. May we all learn to value the natural world on our doorsteps
in the year ahead and beyond.

Let’s bless technology. Without the use of the internet, meeting
people ‘online’ or keeping in touch via email, Facetime or other
technologies, 2020 would have been a whole lot tougher. Churches
across the country moved their Sunday services online, and soon
adapted to a different way of worshipping – not the same, but still
helping us to worship together and see familiar faces. Let’s continue
to give thanks for the science that made that contact possible in
2020.
Let’s value our church family. Imperfect we may be, like any family.
But the months without being physically able to worship with them,
share communion with them, sing alongside them have been hard.
I value so much how many churches have risen to the pandemic
challenge and sought to serve their communities in all kinds of
ways. May we take all this experience into 2021 and build upon it.
Whatever 2021 holds for you and all those that you love, I pray that
you may know the love of God in your life, and be able to pass it on
to others.

Fire?
The team at the local fire station had assembled to hear their
training officer discuss the behaviours of various kinds of fire. He
began: "You pull up to a house and notice puffs of smoke coming
from the eaves. But the windows are blackened out and there is
little or no visible flame. What does this tell you?" he asked.
Hoping the men recognised signs of a possible ‘back draft’, a
condition very dangerous to fire fighters, he heard instead: "It tells
me I’ve got the right house.”
US presidents – young and old
A look back over the last 60 years, at 20-year intervals, reveals the
following snapshot of the ages of various residents in the White
House:
60 years ago, on 20th January 1961, John F Kennedy became the 35th
President of the United States. The youngest to become president by
election, Kennedy was only 43 years old at his inauguration.
40 years ago, on 20th January 1981, Ronald Reagan became 40th
President of the United States. At 69 years of age at the time of his
first inauguration, Reagan was the oldest first-term US president, a
distinction he held until 2017, when Donald Trump was
inaugurated at age 70.
20 years ago, on 20th January 2001, George W Bush was inaugurated
as the 43rd President of the United States. He was 55 years old,
almost the exact median age of US presidents on their inauguration
day (which stands at 53 years and three months).
This month, on 20th January 2021, Joe Biden will be inaugurated as
the 46th President of the United States. He is 78, which makes him
the oldest-ever person to become president. (He turned 78 on 20th
November 2020.)

Beware what’s lurking in the water
Every river in England has chemicals in them.
A recent waterways survey has found that agricultural, industrial
and household pollutants now contaminate, to some extent, all of
our surface water. It is a huge turnaround since 2016, when 97 per
cent of our surface water was deemed to be free from chemicals.
Using new Environment Agency sampling methods, which include
looking at the flesh of fish, it was found that there are PFAS
chemicals (from cosmetic and cleaning products) and mercury
(from burning waste and fuel) in all of England’s waterways. Overall,
just 14 per cent of our rivers merit ecologically ‘good’.
That proportion of waters being in good health is one of the worst in
Europe, with a European average of 40 per cent of surface waters
being rated as ‘good’.
Wildlife charities warn that the Government’s 25-year environment
plan target for 75 per cent of our waterbodies to be in good
condition is now ‘all but unachievable.’

1st Jan: The naming of Jesus
Matthew and Luke tell how the angel instructed that Mary’s baby
was to be named Jesus - a common name meaning ‘saviour’. The
Church recalls the naming of Jesus on 1st January - eight days after
25th December (by the Jewish way of reckoning days). In Jewish

tradition, the male babies were circumcised and named on their
eighth day of life.
For early Christians, the name of Jesus held a special significance. In
Jewish tradition, names expressed aspects of personality. Jesus’
name permeated His ministry, and it does so today: we are baptised
in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38), we are justified through the name
of Jesus (1 Cor 6:11); and God the Father has given Jesus a name
above all others (Phil 2:9). All Christian prayer is through ‘Jesus
Christ our Lord’, and it is ‘at the name of Jesus’ that one day every
knee shall bow.

26th Jan: St Timothy and St Titus, how local church leaders
should be!
Timothy and Titus are the saints for you if you’ve been a Christian
for some time, and now suspect that God wants you to move into
some form of leadership. A daunting prospect!
The books of First and Second Timothy and Titus are what are
known as the three pastoral letters, where Paul writes to ministers
in charge of important churches, instead of writing to the churches
themselves. Paul gives both Timothy and Titus explicit instructions
for how to shepherd the sheep in their care. Timothy had been given
the responsibility of the church at Ephesus, and Titus the care of the
church at Crete. Both Timothy and Titus were young men, and both
felt quite daunted at the task ahead of them!
Timothy, half Jewish, had met Paul when he was still a child, living
with his mother Eunice at Lystra. Paul had come to their city and
preached, and they had both become Christians. Timothy had then
accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey – a great
training experience. But experience is given to us so that we might
in turn become productive – and in due course Paul entrusted the
vastly important church of Ephesus into Timothy’s care. This church
was so vibrant in its faith that within 50 years so many Ephesians
became Christians that the city’s pagan temples were almost
forsaken. A huge responsibility!

Titus was a gentile, almost certainly converted through Paul. Paul
had used Titus as a trouble-shooter with the Corinthians, and when
Titus was successful in that, gave him a real bit of trouble: the
church at Crete. Again, Titus served his Lord faithfully, even in this
most difficult of situations.
Timothy became the first bishop of Ephesus and was finally
martyred when he opposed pagan festivals (probably in honour of
Dionysius). He was killed by stones and clubs, easily to hand during
the pagan festival of Katagogia. His supposed relics were translated
to Constantinople in 356.

Titus went on to become the first Bishop of Crete, and is believed to
have died there, though history does not tell us how. His relics are
supposed to be buried in Crete, except for his head, which was
allegedly taken to Venice in 823.
Both Timothy and Titus were good and faithful servants, and they
could look back on lives well spent.

The first man to get stopped for speeding…
It was 125 years ago, on 28th January 1896, that Walter Arnold of
Kent became the first person in the world to be convicted of
speeding. The speed limit was 2mph at the time, and a man carrying
a red flag had to walk in front of the vehicle. But one day Mr Arnold
took off at 8mph, without a flag bearer. He was chased by a
policeman on a bicycle for five miles, arrested, and fined one
shilling.
Mr Arnold was four times over the rather modest 2mph limit in the
streets of Paddock Wood, near Tunbridge Wells in Kent. To achieve
this feat today, a driver in most towns or cities would have to be
travelling at over 100mph, which is probably a bit excessive.
The speed limit was changed later that same year to 14mph, but
there is no record of Mr Arnold getting his money back. Nor is there
any evidence that he was endangering life and limb, which used to

be the criterion: the 1832 Stage Carriage Act introduced the offence
of endangering someone’s safety by "furious driving”.
Just over 100 years later, the road safety charity Brake reports that
male motorists are more than three times as likely as women to
having driven at more than 100mph, because ‘boy racers’ believe
they have more talent than the average driver. Police have caught
one driver doing 120mph in a 20mph zone, another doing 152mph
in a 30mph zone, and one doing an astonishing 180mph on a
motorway. As Edmund King, AA president, points out: “Generally
men have riskier attitudes towards driving than their female
counterparts.”
                                                      Here is the
                                                      answer to this
                                                      month’s
                                                      Suduko

Counting the cost of coronavirus
Happy New Year! It’s good to begin a new year with hope, but few of
us have left 2020 unscathed by the pandemic.
For example, nearly half of us, 48 per cent, put on weight during
lockdown. (According to a recent survey by King’s College London
and Ipsos MORI).

Millions of us turned to alcohol or drugs. Public Health England
reports that one in five of us aged 45-74 are now drinking more
than 21 units a week. The Royal College of Psychiatrists expresses
alarm at the rapid rise in patients whose alcohol or drug use led to a
decline in their mental health in 2020.
Children have suffered. Childline had nearly 43,000 calls from young
people March and October. Cyber bullying has soared, with one in
three children being bullied during the pandemic, according to the
Anti-Bullying Alliance.

For millions of pensioners, Covid-19 ‘hit the fast-forward button on
ageing’, according to Age UK. Lockdown left old people frightened
and losing their confidence, mobility and even functions such as
memory.
Suicidal thoughts soared during lockdown, with the number of
people seeking help tripling, to stand at more than a quarter of a
million. The Royal College of Psychiatrists warn that mental health
services are now ‘overflowing’ with patients struggling to cope with
anxiety, psychosis and depression. Many charities fear that a ‘second
pandemic’ of mental health problems.
So – what do we do as January 2021 dawns? Each one of us CAN do
something to make things better, if only in a small way. How about
these for your New Year Resolutions?
Firstly, just get regular exercise. As one professor said, “Exercise
creates a virtuous circle of physical and mental well-being. You
move more, you eat better, you feel positive.” On the other hand,
only a couple of weeks of lying around the house will leave your
cardiovascular systems less effective, your musculoskeletal system
weaker, your metabolic rate affected, and your immune system
lowered.
Secondly, adopt the right mental attitude. Studies of Holocaust
survivors found that those who recovered best had certain
character traits of resilience: optimism, self-esteem, acceptance and

above all, spirituality. A faith in God gave them purpose and
meaning, even in the midst of fear and death.
Thirdly, make an effort this year to keep in touch with your friends
and keep an eye out for vulnerable neighbours. Be willing to act as a
safety net for others, if only to show compassion and a willingness
to listen to them.

St James the Least of All - On how to deal with your church’s
correspondence
The Rectory
St James the Least
My dear Nephew Darren
You may have had several years of intensive training on biblical
interpretation, preaching and church history, but that doesn’t cover
the really important matters in parish life: how to evade disgruntled
parishioners, run a brisk Summer Fete and, in your case at present,
deal with correspondence, either by letter or email.
My regular practice, which I recommend to you as a New Year
Resolution, is to read all the letters/emails you receive and then
discard them. If the matter is truly important, you will receive a
second message, to which you respond; more likely, the sender will
either have forgotten all about his first letter/email after the second
month or will write to some other cleric instead. In either case, you
will be saved a great deal of trouble.
You only need two folders for your filing system, either for post or
emails. The first is for complaints; they are to be filed and ignored,
no matter how many duplicates you are sent. Should you be
confronted personally, you simply say that the matter has been
passed on to the bishop. Those truly dogged complainants who
pursue the matter will eventually receive an episcopal reply saying
he knows nothing of the matter, for which you then blame the postal
system/spammed email. After letters and emails have ricocheted

round the country for many months, the person complaining will
either have lost energy to pursue the matter, or the will to live.
The second file receives all other correspondence/emails
chronologically. The earliest letters and emails will be at the bottom
of the pile and the most recent on the top. In my experience, the
postal file only needs attention when it reaches a height of about
two feet and becomes unstable. The practice then is to discard the
lower six inches and allow it to continue its steady growth. If the
stack is kept in the church vestry, then mice usually attend to the
papers on the bottom of the pile.
Sadly, your own church, with its electronic systems for filing, sorting
and retrieving correspondence and with your parish secretaries,
removes all of these blessings at a stroke. You have therefore no
excuses for not dealing instantly with every note that comes your
way. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
May I also remind you that not even St Paul, that unflagging letter-
writer, ever ended one of his letters with a request for a prompt
reply. Need I say more?
Your loving uncle,
Eustace

            £$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£
                  100 Club
The Winning numbers for 2020 are as follows:
I incorrectly reported in last month’s Chronicle that there was
no special Christmas Draw. The draw took place after the
Midnight Eucharist on Christmas Eve, with 2 prizes available.
The winners were:
154 held by Annette Fendell
45 held by Edward Pogmore

Subscriptions are now due for 2021. I hope to contact as many
people as I can for renewals, so keep an eye on your e-mails.
Payments can be made by cheque or bank transfer.

I presented Fr Andrew with a cheque for £744 as the proceeds
from the 100 Club
Thank you.                          Martin Mellor
           £$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£

All in the month of January
It was:
500 years ago, on 3rd January 1521 that German Protestant
reformer Martin Luther was excommunicated from the Roman
Catholic Church by Pope Leo X after he refused to recant his
writings. A few weeks later, on 23rd January, the Diet of Worms was
called by the Holy Roman Empire and ran until 25th May.
This imperial assembly culminated in the Edict of the Diet of
Worms, which branded Martin Luther as a heretic, and banned his
writings.
150 years ago, on 26th January 1871 that the Rugby Football Union
(RFU) was founded in England.
125 years ago, on 28th January 1896 that Walter Arnold of Kent
became the first person in the world to be convicted of speeding.
The speed limit was 2 mph and a person carrying a red flag had to
walk in front of the vehicle. But Arnold drove at 8 mph without a
flag bearer. He was chased by a policeman on a bicycle, arrested, and
fined one shilling.
100 years ago, on 28th January 1921 that the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier was installed beneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
It honours those who died in WWI (and later also WWII) who were
never identified.
80 years ago, on 5th January 1941 that Amy Johnson, pioneering
British aviator, drowned in the Thames Estuary, aged 37. She had
bailed out after her plane ran out of fuel and crashed in adverse
weather conditions.
75 years ago, on 3rd January 1946 that William Joyce (‘Lord Haw
Haw’), British fascist politician who broadcast Nazi propaganda
from Germany during WWII, was hanged for treason.
70 years ago, on 9th January 1951 that the United Nations moved
into its present headquarters in New York City. It is a 39-floor
building in the Turtle Bay area of Manhattan, overlooking the East
River.

65 years ago, on 27th January 1956, that Elvis Presley’s hit song
‘Heartbreak Hotel’ was released. It topped the US charts in April and
became his first UK hit in May of that year.
60 years ago, on 20th January 1961 that John F Kennedy was
inaugurated as the 35th President of the United States.
50 years ago, on 25th January 1971 that Idi Amin became President
of Uganda after deposing Milton Obote in a coup.
40 years ago, on 2nd January 1981 that British serial killer Peter
Sutcliffe (the ‘Yorkshire Ripper’) was arrested in Sheffield, South
Yorkshire. He was charged with murdering 13 women. He died of
Covid-19 in November 2020.
40 years ago, on 20th January 1981, that Ronald Reagan was
inaugurated the 40th President of the United States.
30 years ago, 17th January to 28th February, that the Gulf War’s
‘Operation Desert Storm’ took place. Invading Iraqi forces were
expelled from Kuwait and the Kuwaiti monarchy was restored. It
was a decisive coalition victory.
25 years ago, on 27th January 1996 that the first Holocaust
Remembrance Day was observed in Germany. It became
International Holocaust Day in 2005 when it was adopted by the
United Nations. It marks the day (27th January 1945) when the
Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration/death camp was liberated.
20 years ago, on 31st January 2001 that a Scottish court in the
Netherlands convicted Abdelbaset al-Megrahi of the bombing of Pan
Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988. He was the head of airport
security for Libyan Arab Airlines and a suspected Libyan
intelligence officer. He was sentenced to life imprisonment but
released on medical grounds in 2009 and died in 2012.
10 years ago, on 4th January 2011 that Gerry Rafferty, Scottish rock
singer and songwriter, died. Best known for his solo hit ‘Baker
Street’.

A Different Kind of New Year’s Resolution
Every year, often at the start of January, Methodist Churches hold a
Covenant Service. This is an opportunity to thank God for everything
that God has done and also an invitation for people to renew afresh their
own relationship with God and to offer their lives to Him. The origins of
this service go back to the founder of Methodism, John Wesley. He
wanted to create a service which would help people open up their lives
and their hearts more fully to God. As part of the service this prayer is
prayed:
The Methodist Covenant Prayer
I am no longer my own but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;
Put me to doing, put me to suffering;
Let me be emptied for you, or laid aside for you,
Exalted for you, or brought low for you;
Let me be full, let me be empty,
Let me have all things, let me have nothing:
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things
To your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
You are mine and I am yours.
And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

This is not an easy prayer to pray. It is uncomfortable and challenging
and asks us deep questions about our faith and demands that we
examine closely our relationship with God. One of the most difficult
lines is where it says ‘put me to suffering.’ However the notes in the
Methodist Worship Book make clear that ‘these words do not mean that
we ask God to make us suffer, but rather that we desire, by God’s help
to patiently accept whatever is God’s will for us.’

The Covenant Prayer has been compared by some to a set of New Year
resolutions. However it is much more than that, the prayer represents a
commitment to being a disciple and putting God first in our lives. It is a
prayer both of surrendering to God and of putting our trust in Him. A
Methodist friend explained to me that ‘The whole service is enfolded in

the loving grace of God and the Covenant is a thankful and joyous
response to that grace.’

I offer this prayer to you at the start of this New Year as a way for you
to reflect on your own relationship with God. Take this prayer as an
opportunity to open your heart and life up to God.

Read through the prayer slowly, a line at a time.
• What jumps out at you?
• What would you find easy to say?
• What would you find difficultly to say?

Think how it might apply to your life
• What things might God be asking you to let go of?
• What might God be asking you to continue?
• What new things may God want to place in your life?

My favourite line is the penultimate one, ‘You are mine and I am
yours’. It is an important reminder that whatever we do, we do not do it
in our own strength but in God’s. Whatever lies ahead this year, we
know that we do not face the future alone.

Happy New Year

Rev. Ros