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Outlook February/ March 2024


Jane Robson

Minister's Letter

Jesus told them another parable:
"The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked
all through the dough"
Matthew 13:33

Dear Friends

By the time you read this we will know if the Faithfuls succeeded or whether any of the Traitors took home all the money. Episode 12 of the second series of The Traitors aired on Friday 26 January and all will have been revealed. Today though, as I write this, we’re only half-way through and at this point, with Ash the only traitor to have been ‘uncloaked’, the three remaining traitors look like they’re going to win.

Traitors
Traitors - BBC TV

For those of you who have not been tempted to tune in here’s a BBC summary of the game:

“In this nail-biting psychological reality competition, Claudia Winkleman greets 22 strangers as they arrive at a beautiful castle in the Scottish Highlands to play the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust, in the hope of winning up to £120,000. But hidden amongst them are the Traitors whose job is to secretly murder [not literally, of course!] a player every night, without getting caught. It’s up to the others, the Faithfuls, to try to detect who the traitors are, and banish them from the game, before they become their next victim. For the lucky ones who survive to the end, they have the chance of winning that life-changing cash. But if a Traitor remains undetected, they’ll steal all the money.” Meet The Traitors series 2 contestants.

I wasn’t going to watch this series, but I made the mistake of seeing the first episode and so, despite not being entirely comfortable with the idea of rewarding deceitfulness, I was hooked once again. And reminded myself (as a number of the participants had to during the show), “it’s only a game.”

However, it does also shine a light on so much of real-life human nature. Our need to be liked and be part of a ‘tribe’. Our ability to say one thing and do another. Our capacity to lie. As well as how we become less rational when we’re tired, cold, hungry, under pressure etc. And all of that was confirmed in the ‘behind the scenes’ The Traitors: Uncloaked episodes each week when those who’d been ‘murdered’ or ‘banished’ spoke of their experiences.

Take up your cross

And why do I share these thoughts with you now? Well, in a couple of weeks’ time it will be Ash Wednesday and we will begin, again, that period in the Christian calendar known as Lent. A time of self-denial/ self-control when, traditionally, we might give something up. A time of reflection and self-analysis. A time to re-focus on our discipleship. As well as a time to prepare for the celebration of Easter resurrection. And one of the questions we might ask ourselves during that time is, “Am I a Faithful or am I a Traitor?” Which sounds very dramatic. And perhaps a bit over the top you might say. But when it comes to thinking about our response to the one who sat round a table with his friends in that Upper Room knowing that one of them would soon betray him (a ‘traitor’) is it really?

So, how are we seeking to be faithful to Jesus and his invitation: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)? Or are we more likely to deny him and betray him? Tough questions. But necessary ones if we are serious about becoming more like him who calls us to follow him. Of course, the likely reality for all of us is that we will, at times, be very faithful and at others…well, not so. But the faithfulness of God means that we need not fear. We need not despair. We will not be ‘murdered’ or ‘banished’! Instead, through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ fulfilling his mission of death and resurrection, we are forgiven and set free. Safety Last

May your experience of Lent be meaningful, and your Easter be filled with the joy and hope of resurrection,

Every blessing,

Jane



World Day of Prayer

World day of prayer

Friday March 1st 1.30pm

This year it is at Tilehouse Street. All are welcome and it would be good if a number of us could support this service. There will be refreshments after the service.

The title is &I beg you to bear with one another in love&. It has been prepared by the Christian women of Palestine.

Val Chivers (THS representative)



Advent fair
Advent Fair