Home » Thoughts for the Week » Just keep running (24 February)

Just keep running (24 February)

This week the thought has been written by Beth Powney, EBA Regional Minister

I have never run a marathon, well I have never really run anywhere since I left school, I leave those things to others.  But I do have several members of my family who have run marathons and I have supported through the training and standing along the street cheering.  I know that the last 5 or 6 miles (of the 26) can be an absolute killer and worse than the other 20.  Apparently you can hit ‘the wall’’.  Your legs turn to jelly, you can’t think straight, you can’t breathe, your body is crying out to you – STOP!!  However the end is now in sight (well may be not literally) and so trained marathon runners, dig deep, mentally, physically and with sheer gut determination to finish the best way they know how.

Why do I mention this today?  Because I think we all feel a bit like that right now.  We have been hunkered down, coping with COVID and lockdown and social distancing and family distancing for months and months, there is a sniff that the end is in sight, but still we have to keep running.  We still need to keep pushing through with the same disciplines, the same pastoral care, the same Zoom calls, the same lack of fellowship, only now, the myriad of questions will begin, when can we do….how do we do…why haven’t we done…?  So actually the pressure begins to rise at just the point when figuratively speaking our legs are like jelly and our brains have turned to mush and we just want to reach for another cookie.

I think it is at this point of vulnerability where we probably need the greatest care for each other as ministers.  Do you recall the end of that Triathlon where the Brownlee brothers helped each other across the line?  One could have won outright while his brother collapsed behind him.  But he chose to hold his brother up and they crossed the line together.

So sisters and brothers can I encourage you to look out for one another as the next few weeks and months unfold, as we all try to navigate what ‘open’ church looks like.  Why not give that fellow minister who hasn’t logged onto your Zoom cluster meetings a ring; contact the one who has had some challenging conversations with their church leaders to let them know you’re with them; drop an email to a minister near you to offer to go for a walk together.  Let’s remember the simple acts of kindness in thought, word and deed which can be such an encouragement to us all and then together we can reach the end of this race, possibly stronger than we started.

https://pixabay.com/photos/sports-persons-running-people-731506/

For your interest:

NATIONAL LENT QUITE DAY

If you feel in need of some time out, why not join us for this Lent Quiet Day on Thursday 25^th Feb.  The day will be led by Beth Powney & Mark Fairweather Tall.  You can log on for the whole day or just choose to join us for a couple of sessions.  The day will also be recorded and you can access it at a later date via the BUGB YouTube channel.

https://www.baptist.org.uk/Articles/601291/_Waiting_and.aspx

TIME TO GATHER – praying together as an Association

An opportunity to join together for prayer and to listen to God as an Association at 6.30 – 7.30pm on Sunday 28^th February.  Here is the Zoom link if you would like to join us

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88201290903 Passcode: 794152

LENT RESOURCES

The second in our series of short Lent reflections ‘Was Jesus led, driven or taken into the wilderness by the Spirit?’ is now available on our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/h1tYJ52VeaI. You can also download a copy for use in services using this link https://www.dropbox.com/s/vvlj8unjwihb5sm/20210220_095005.mp4?dl=0