One of the great gifts and challenges we face in life is the ability to make choices. Free will seems at the same time to be a wonderful gift and an opportunity for disaster. The choices we make define our character and shape our future. We have big choices about career, relationships where we live. But there are also daily important choices about how we live and relate to each other.

One of the biggest choices we face is about what we believe and what principles we will live our life by. As a young man, fresh out of school, I thought that all this religion stuff was nonsense. One had to be stupid or feeble to believe all this impossible stuff about miracles and Jesus rising from the dead. It all happened so long ago, it can’t be relevant to today.

Then I met people who followed Jesus who were not stupid and who were not feeble. I made the decision to look into this Christianity thing. Fortunately at the time a friend of a friend attended a good church in Bristol, where I was working on road bridges—actually it was the A38 north of Bristol where they were testing Concord at the time. The sound of the engines was awesome! At the church they had a discussion group for people wanting to ask questions about faith. I went along, bribed by the promise of a meal of faggots (my friend was an impoverished member of the BBC orchestra). I found the group really helpful and clearly found grounds for faith and a real experience of God’s love. As a result of my own experience I am very keen that anyone who is interested in exploring faith has an opportunity to do that in a safe place.

I am starting our next series of Just Looking Groups (a chance to explore questions of faith) in October this year. For people who decide to make a commitment of faith, there is an opportunity to do that when the Bishop of Wakefield comes to lead a confirmation service in     November at St Peters. So if you are interested in exploring faith or confirmation, please get in touch. Come along to our group and make your choice.

Rev Bill Henderson

I have been fascinated to hear about different traditions that   families used to keep around Whitsuntide. For many it meant a new set of clothes; an outfit that became the ‘Sunday Best’ for the rest of the year. Some were given a pen while for others a pair of white socks were always given. In many communities there was a Whit walk; a parade through the village, often with people wearing their best clothes and the ladies in White. This would end with an open air service and celebration.

What lies behind these celebrations is the commemoration of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the early disciples at Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit came on Jesus at his baptism, He appeared as a white dove. Whit is derived from white and this is why white clothing has been popular at this time.

The exciting thing about this festival is that it reminds us of a great event that happened long ago, but that is just as relevant today. I am encouraged to hear many stories of people experiencing the Holy Spirit here in Stanley in many different ways.

We can receive the Holy Spirit today and he will make an amazing difference to our lives. He puts the spotlight on Jesus, and encourages our relationship with Him. For some their experience of the Holy Spirit has led them to faith. He also helps us be transformed into the likeness of Christ, disturbing us and making us discontent until we ask God’s help to change. He also empowers us for serving one another. The Gifts of the spirit make us helpful and useful for our   community. There are many people who have received healing and comfort through prayer, other’s who have experienced God’s love and presence in a tangible way.

We may not get a new set of clothes now, but we can receive a fresh blessing from the Holy Spirit. How do we receive? Its simple, we just ask. Go on give it a try, you will never regret it.

Rev Bill Henderson

It is hard to believe that we are into May, when we recently suffered from heavy frosts and snow showers. It feels rather strange after such a mild winter.

It is not only the weather that seems in chaos in the world around us. There are atrocities in Syria and ones not so well publicised in South Sudan as well as many other countries. People are fleeing for their lives into difficult and deadly situations, creating a crisis for their care. We watch in astonishment at the build up for elections in the USA where extraordinary rhetoric gains people’s support.

In our own nation it is difficult to find out the actual implications of staying in or leaving Europe. Our own government freed of the restraint of coalition partners and maybe an effective opposition is exercising a rather bullying power, imposing a contract on junior doctors and a policy for all schools to become academies. The implications could be doctors leaving their jobs so there is a dangerous shortage. Already junior doctor posts are over subscribed in Scotland (that still has the old contract) and posts in London are under subscribed for the first time ever. School head teachers are considering strike action.

Sometimes it can feel overwhelming and leave us feeling helpless. At the time of Jesus, when their nation was occupied by a Roman army and people of power were acting in appalling ways, Jesus came with a message of hope and challenge. This has been a guide for His followers ever since, especially in times of persecution. It is a message to love, to be especially concerned for the poor and marginalised. But also to speak truth to those in power. When faced with issues that seem too big and difficult to manage, we can decide to do what we can where we are. As a former Bishop of Wakefield once said while visiting us, ‘bloom where you are planted’. Small acts of love and kindness can transform situations, together these small acts can transform a nation.

Rev Bill Henderson