A message from the Rev’d David Heatley

Posted by Admin on 19 June 2021, 7:04 pm

Good day to you all.

The coming weeks and months will hopefully see a return to some sort of normality, and many of us will be looking forward to holidays and travel. When I go on holiday it is good to leave the telephone and emails behind, though I do usually have my antique mobile phone with me in case there is some real emergency. Lots of people travel with various bits of technology which seem to be getting more and more sophisticated. Smartphones are wonderful, we can be anywhere and never having to be afraid of being out of touch or not having music to listen to, a game to play or even a film to watch!

There is no doubt that technology and social media in particular have been especially important over the past year, though the disadvantage of those who cannot access these things has been highlighted. It is good to talk, as they say, but do we really need to be in 24-hour seven days a week contact with each other?

Travelling has become the art of taking everything on the road, in the case of a camper van, including the kitchen sink! We like to be prepared and so carry extra clothing, equipment and what we regard as other necessities because we do not want to be without our creature comforts. DVD players are installed in our people carriers to entertain the passengers, earlier generations would read, play pocket chess or I Spy along the route. Also, vehicles have got bigger, enabling us to carry more stuff. It is perhaps only travelling by air that the weight restrictions limit the amount of baggage we have.

We are anxious to stay in touch, but do we also remember to stay in touch with God? When Jesus sent his disciples on the road, he told them to travel light. He said, “Take no purse, no bag and no sandals.” Traditionally we have understood this passage to be for missionaries, those spreading the word of God to all the world. Jesus did not want them to be distracted. He wanted them to be focused on the mission of building the kingdom. This message, however, could also speak to anyone who is travelling for any reason, even us today, especially on our journey of faith. Perhaps Jesus wanted the disciples to be free, like he wants us to be free, free from some of the encumbrances of the material world. He wants all those who follow him to enjoy the journey but also, he wants us to stay in touch with God trusting that he will be with us and providing for us wherever our journey of life and faith may take us.

Rev’d David Heatley

With thanks to David, a retired priest living in our benefice, for his thoughts for this edition … I am blessed to have some great colleagues who support me in our parishes!

For those of you who are travelling for your holidays this Summer, we wish you a safe and wonderful time, full of fun and laughter, and for those of you having a ‘Staycation’ may the Island weather be good to you!

Happy holidays everyone!

Rev’d Amanda