The United Reformed Church Chesham

Dear Friends,

When John Shaw was leading us in worship last month and telling us of his recent visit to a church in Uganda, I began to reflect upon the remarkably international flavour our services have had since the end of last year.

In Advent, we had prayers in many different languages – spoken by our own members and friends too! Not too many years ago, even our rich collection of northern and Scots accents would have been a strange sound in our church. My father and grandfathers only ever went overseas to fight in the two World Wars, and I was 18 before going abroad myself for the first time. But now foreign travel, BA strikes and ash clouds permitting, is an everyday thing for young and old alike.

We have given thanks for Bridget’s safe return and have enjoyed hearing about her experiences in Botswana. In January when Liz Boyce preached to us, an inflatable globe was thrown around and we prayed for the nations our young people picked out.

With the coming of 24 hour news channels on radio and TV, we are better informed than any previous generations about the world’s problems – conflicts, disasters, famine and drought to mention just a few. When I showed a Christian Aid DVD about Kenya’s dreadful water and sewerage system to the Rendezvous service last month, many in the congregation were visibly moved.

All of this has made us much quicker to respond to the world’s problems when we need to, as happened after the earthquake in Haiti, and on a scale which could not have been imagined in years gone by. We should thank God for those benefits from modern technology.

On that same theme, we ask for God’s blessing for everyone about to embark upon travel, at home or abroad in the summer. May they return safe and sound, and well refreshed.

With love,
Stephen