Letters From Brian, Our previous Minister
Recent copies of the letters from our previous Minister Brian.
These are reproduced from the monthly Newsletter..
January 2019: Out On The Tiles With The Minister
These days a lot of the time we hear doom and gloom on just about any subject. Terrible things that could happen which have not crossed our minds. I am not one for making light of problems or prevention but I am learning to keep a pinch of salt handy. That said I think the business of misery making needs challenging.
Recently I have been reminded of the Millennium Bug. Do you remember the terrors and hype around the year two thousand. The chaos, fear and lies that surrounded that situation (and it’s cost) which vanished with relief for all on the first day of January 2000AD. Come the day all the dire predictions and thoughts of world darkness didn’t come true. Fridges, planes, telephones, atomic reactors etc all kept working. The NHS had not been able to guarantee or speak sensibly as to the fate of their pacemakers. What a relaxing evening that was!! Mine marched on for another five years and no one had a problem. No one was brought to court either for fake news or this international deception.
It cost fortune changing equipment and computers for fear they would all shudder to a halt. Yet those who never got round to future proofing their lives were laughing all the way to the bank (they were in plentiful supply back then). Just because people say all will be ruin doesn’t mean to say it will happen.
Recently our manse had a visit from two fellows who had come to clear the moss off the roof for the Circuit, they declared the roof was not long for this world and would cost the price of a very decent motorbike to replace it. The age of the house and the lack of internal rainfall made the Circuit get a second opinion from our surveyor. The roof is staying thank you, I am glad to say. For many householders the first verdict could have been terrible news which they may not have felt able to challenge. If in doubt ask!
Of course some situations are not short of ‘experts’ and opinions. People are not always right and some like those computer companies in 1999 may have used fear to their own ends. We do not know everything nor what lies ahead. This is reflected in the Covenant Service. ‘ 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 ....’
This year we will begin to find how the decision of two years ago will pan out. We will see what Brexit actually means. We have spent two very long years being made to worry over Brexit by ‘misery makers’ none of which raced to take hold of the problems caused by the Referendum. At the time of writing those efforts to scare us witless have reached new heights. We have discovered that, as a People, we don’t really know ourselves. We are not sure where our allegiances lie and families have been split over this issue. Unrest has risen in a number of quarters. We have also found a poverty in the National Life and Public Service. We may have pondered what drives people to high office and what price loyalty amongst our MP’s.
I sadly suspect Brexit will not be the non event of the manse roof or the Millennium Bug; I would love to be wrong. We need to pray for this Nation and those in leadership and we need to be firm with those who spend time causing worry and division in whatever area of life it appears. Christians are called to work for unity and if there has been one thing missing in the last two years it is unity. Responsibility has also been a casualty. So pray for answers, settlement, dignity and agreement. Pray for healing of the Nation.
Amen
Brian
From Our Previous Minister, Brian
Some situations are not short of ‘experts’ and opinions!