I wanted to ring you

I wanted to ring you last night

I wanted to tell of the journey to the valleys

The twists, the turns, the suddenly closed roads

No map reader like me in the car

To tell of meeting with Jo and Sian

The meal with the family - the jokes - the kindness  -  the laughter

Owain was with us, when was the last time we saw him?

The confusion of how to find the layby up at  carn-y-bugail,

The arrangements we made

Then the breakfast when Jane and Andy arrived

 The drive across the valleys, again a closed road -

All to meet at the new high school in Bargoed

The ride up over the mountain gate, all the ponies,

Many more than I remembered that there used to be.  

The lambs and their mams gently wandering over the road,

Then the red kites, two over the mountain - how good is that

We found the layby; the wind was cold and strong.

I got your ashes from the car - in 4 neat bottles,

Keith, Paul, Jane and Samuel took one – Paul locked his tight and wal undid it

We said a prayer and they carried the ashes over the road and

They scattered  in the sharp wind that came from behind us.

The ponies came to watch

The skylarks sang in the high cold air

And the sun came through the clouds

We had a picture taken, we said a parting prayer

We hugged and promised to meet again

And then the cars scattered in different ways

We went north, up past the Taff reservoirs to Brecon

Paul overtook us on the road to Builth

And we drove up the march till at last we came home

into our valley,  so like and yet so different from yours

Then I wanted to ring you and tell you of our weekend

A Few Pictures - including the door into summer !

Time to get going on this again

A write up of my sermon  from Sunday 

The readings set for this sunday reminds us of how we as christians should always be there to open our arms and welcome all peoples who walk the way of love and faith and to show those who dont the joy of doing so.

(the readings were Peter’s Vision a Joppa and  the new commandment)

That’s the conclusion to my sermon,  you can go to sleep now as long  you remember that J

But why have I come to that conclusion, how did I get there?

Lets start with Peter at Joppa and this strange dream,  a  great sheet  full of animals,  as a natural historian I would have like a bit more details than four footed animal, reptile and birds of the air but it is clear that they were animals not considered “clean”  and Peter rejects the instruction to kill and eat  ( three time  -  Peter seems to do things in threes – perhaps that we why ae taught to say the same thing three times as preachers  J  )

Did Peter remember Jesus saying  - it is not what enters a person but what comes out,   not the food we eat but the  words and actions  of our hearts.

Then when Peter went to Caesarea and saw the spirit move in the gentiles he knew that God and his good news  was not restricted to just the jewish people.  God could act and move in anyone and anywhere

So that means that we as Christians and  the inheritors of Jesus  are meant to be open and willing to see God work  in our village, town and land.

We cannot be exclusive or judgmental,  a friend was telling me yesterday that she is terrified of becoming a Pharisee, born and brought up in the church the temptation to become judgmental and to turn into a Pharisee is strong,  but  the vision at Joppa  re-iterates  the  challenge to us  al  to  be open minded and welcoming to all especially those of other faiths  who walk the  route of  love and peace and fellowship.   Do you remember how after the floods of boxing day 2015 Muslim groups brought food to those affected and those working to help,  surely that was an act of Love  -  god is love and all those who live in love  live in God  John writes in his letter so we must all who work the path of the neighbour.

Not all see that that though, not all believe we  are people of love  and that brings us to the gospel  -  Love one another as I have loved you, by this shall know are my disciples, Jesus told the disciples and tells us today.   That is what will draw people in - and give hope to our world that we love one another and extend that love to all who walk in the way of love.

No this does not mean I do not think that Christianity is not the best way to find God, Jesus is I believe the most complete image of God it will be possible to be,  but I also know  that if I am to avoid the Pharisee I have to realise that God is bigger, better and more exciting that anything I can imagine.

So many people today love to blame religion for everything for wars and the like but if we take Jesus seriously then if we show love to all people of faith who live in love and peace and thus expressing the love  of God  we  show it is not faith that is the problem – it is a faith that is too small,  a faith that’s needs Pharisees to protect it, a faith not in God but in things.   

 When the bombers attacked the churches in Sri Lanka on Easter day, I had  a  text of commiseration from a Muslim friend, and muslin communities in Sri Lanka opened their doors to give Christians  a place to worship as the churches were is ruins.

When we realise we are to love as Christ loved us without distinctions, without conditions, without limit then we will make such a light and a joy in our world that all will seek to know and love God.