This weekend the clocks go back an hour and summer officially ends. I smile every time this happens because some of our congregation always turn up an hour earlier for the Sunday morning service, or in the summer with a perplexed look meet us leaving the chapel because they’re an hour late! Early or late it’s a reminder that that while we can and do manipulate time God’s times and seasons are unchanging.
The Bible speaks of time in a much more personal way. A ‘time’ for every purpose with even more emphasis on the Christian virtue of loving our neighbour and doing good with the time we are given. From our childhood we were often encouraged not to waste time and I still have my school autograph book where Miss Henshaw my first teacher in junior school wrote. ‘When you’ve something to do and it’s hard to begin it, start straight away and don’t waste a minute’ Sound advice, which I must admit I have not always kept!
For many, who are elderly and living on their own winter is always a vulnerable time.sThat’s why keeping an eye on elderly neighbours, especially those who live on their own can make all the difference and certainly be good use of our time. Our local foodbanks are run by those who give of their time to help and support those in need within our community. I went along to the ‘soup station’ in Old Castle Road last Sunday night to see the support so many are giving to those who rely on this weekly act of goodwill as we are hoping to do something similar in Greenfield in the new year. This again will relies on volunteers who give of their time to make life a little easier for those who are in need. Even a small amount of our time and energy can make all the difference to someone else’s winter. Jesus showed care and compassion to the hungry and the lost. His earthly ministry lasted just three years and yet so many lives where changed because he took the time to love and care. This winter, we too can make that difference when in our often busy lives we decide that when it comes to helping those in need we ‘start straight away and don’t waste a minute’ -Thanks Miss Henshaw!
