Rector's Letter - September 2010

Dear Friends,

"There is no such thing as a free lunch!"; so the saying goes. And there is much truth in that. If it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. There are usually "strings attached" and "hidden agendas" and so we are rightly suspicious of too good offers.

But, it is not always true that "there is no such thing as a free lunch". If you think about it, there are a number of really good things that are genuinely "free". The sun and rain, the beauty of nature, friendship and much more… even life itself is a gift. These all come with "no strings", apart from the obvious need to accept and enjoy them! Christianity tells us that these are all gifts of God's love. He is the God of Grace. Grace is unconditional love, and we find that such a difficult concept that it does seem too good to be true. It seems unbelievable.

We are having a Confirmation Service at St Katharine's on Sunday 26th September at 10.30am. Bishop Brian will confirm four candidates from our parishes (and some others too). Confirmation is about accepting the "too good to be true" promises of our baptism. God says to us, as He did to Jesus: "You are my beloved child, with you I am well pleased!" That amazing statement is at the heart of Christianity. It assures us of God's unconditional love for each and every person, a love that knows no limit. He even came to this earth as one of us, sharing our life… and our death, that we might know this love for always.

Now, that really does sound too good to be true! There must be a catch! But there is none, except, like any gift, it must be accepted and opened and used… or in this case lived. And, yes, that does involve commitment on our part. This is because Christianity is basically a relationship, and for a friendship to be real it requires a committed response. Our response is acted out in our baptism; our "yes" to God's invitation to share His life. For those who were baptised as children, that decision has to be confirmed by each individual when they feel ready... that is what Confirmation is all about.

What a wonderful offer! It does sound "too good to be true" It allows us to know God's unconditional love, His eternal security and His loving and fulfilling purpose for our lives. And it is all genuinely FREE!

Please remember to pray for our candidates. All are welcome to join us at the Confirmation Service on the 26th, and to share in this exciting event.

With my love and prayers,
Yours in Christ, John.