A message from the Rev’d Stephen Sutcliffe

Posted by Admin on 30 May 2020, 5:57 pm

The Rev’d Stephen Sutcliffe

Assistant Curate

2 St Faiths Rd

Cowes

PO31 7HH

Tel: 01983 652506

Email: steve.alan.sutcliffe@icloud.com

Hello friends, what strange times we are living through. I do hope that you’re managing as much as you can with all that life is throwing at you. One day we will look back on these times and think about them, pondering how we came through it and hopefully we will be stronger for having come through it.
.
Feeling a sense of separation from one another will be difficult for some people. Whereas some others will find it considerably easier to cope with. Despite all of the wonderful differences between us, we are a people, I believe, for whom relationship is key to our existence. And at times of separation I am personally reminded of that.
.
Relationships come in many forms. Every Thursday evening, we come together as one community in relationship with one another and give thanks in lots of different ways. We recognise the gifts of those who are putting the needs of others above their own. Some people clap, some make loud sounds by banging saucepans, playing musical instruments, some people pause and quietly acknowledge the many individual roles that come together and work for the greater good. But in one way or another we all acknowledge each other.
.
Relationship, co-existing alongside each other, collaboratively working with others, call it what you will, is a wonderful gift that exists across all of nature; not just within us humans.
.
As I have sat at my desk I have been observing to my joy, 3 or 4 baby sparrows being fed by their parents. I have heard the fledgling sparrows for a while now and they have always warmed my heart when I hear them cry out when one of their parents arrives with food. Their dependency upon their parents is key to their survival. I have seen them leave the nest, learn to fly whilst still being fed. In time of course they will do the same for their offspring. And the circle of life continues.
.
For me nature provides a very easy link to God. When I see how all parts of nature work together, I see God at work. And my soul is lifted. Throughout the differing seasons various aspects of nature become alive and I see God at work. As humans we have a lot to learn from nature I believe. Learning to co-exist alongside all living things including humans is, I believe, key to our survival.
.
This time of separation has enabled me to think about how my actions impact upon nature. Also how the consequences of my actions might bring relief to someone or make them turn away in pain. And how my relationship with someone might enhance their life or make it more difficult. These are decisions that we should all ponder upon if we want to make the world a better place.
.
And as we make those decisions as individuals, then as a collective we will make the world a better place in which to live.
.
Developing and learning from one another doesn’t need to be a negative as we sometimes feel it is. I believe being able to share aspects of our life together is a strength. Recognising that we are all different and therefore share different gifts, different opinions, different perspectives on life offers us the opportunity to be able to learn from one another.
.
Yet sadly we often feel we should already know everything and when we discover we don’t, we feel inadequate or even threatened instead of looking upon it as a chance to learn from a different thread of the tapestry of life.
.
So as we continue to walk through this challenging moment in not only our life, but for the life of all humankind, let’s use the opportunity afforded to us to come together as one. To unify our individual needs with those who walk alongside us. Let’s use this moment in our history to come together as all of nature already does. And learn to live a life of co-existence with the needs of the other placed before our own individual needs. And then create a world where we no longer feel inadequate or threatened by the other.
.
With all my love
.
Rev’d Steve xx