Welcome to Weobley & Staunton Joint Benefice

Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’? ”Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8

I recently finished reading the book ‘Twelve Years a Slave’ by Solomon Northup. Published in 1853 (and made into a film in 2014), the book is the true story of an African- American man, living in New York, kidnapped by slave traders, then sold to Louisiana plantation owners.

The book details the sheer brutality of white plantation owners and highlights how the economy and social fabric of the southern USA was reliant on systemic and violent abuse.  The author portrays white children at the age of only 11, learning to yield a whip against black slaves.

Into this world comes a travelling carpenter from Canada named Bass, a man who is not afraid to ask difficult questions about the practice of slavery. It is he who eventually discovers that Solomon Northup has been kidnapped and writes letters to New York magistrates that lead to Solomon’s release. Bass is free to prophecy against slavery, because he doesn’t profit from it. He points out that the plantation owners are essentially slaves to the evil of their own system.

As Christians, we are sometimes called to speak uncomfortable words of truth against prevalent social wrongs, because it is only truth that can set us free.

Rev’d Philip

By the time you read this there will be a new set of parliamentary representatives elected and a new government in power. Those who lost their seats in parliament may look back on the election and the last years of government and say ‘If only….’ No doubt there will be handwringing and blame apportioned, but politics (as they say) is the art of the possible, and no amount of naval-gazing will change the result.

In the Christian life we are often tempted to look at our external and internal limitations, whether economic, physical or social, and say “well if only I was in better health, or cleverer, or younger or a bit wealthier, then I could really serve God properly.” The problem with the “if only” statement is that it acts as an escape clause, taking us away from our vocation to the here and now. In our gospel text from Mark 6, Jesus was able to recognise clearly the limitations of his situation in Nazareth. He was faced with the hostility and disapproval of his neighbours in his hometown of Nazareth. He stared disappointment and failure in the face and then responded with a new and outward looking approach that involved the riskiest of all strategies - the participation of the disciples: those flawed and vulnerable human beings who would make mistakes, even betray him, and yet, go on to turn the world upside down.

In our reading from 2 Corinthians 12, Paul reminds us that (unlike human politics) God chooses to work with and through our human weaknesses.

But he said to me ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me…for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

God appoints us to be his representatives on earth, in full knowledge of our vulnerability and limitations. We only have to be willing and available.

Rev’d Philip