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Our July / August Pastoral Letter
is provided by Brian Wilkins a Member

and Elder at Wareham

As I write this we are still having cold nights and relatively chilly
days, but at some stage during July and August we hope to have
more ‘summery’ weather to cheer our spirits!

Some of us will be fortunate enough to be entertaining distant
family and friends, or to be having holiday time – a chance to be
relieved of our usual responsibilities, to have more opportunity to
engage in reading or hobbies, and possibly be stimulated by
travelling to new places.

A great benefit of holidays, in my experience, is the opportunity to
get right away from the daily media and email barrage – of mostly
depressing news, and so many worthy causes requesting our
support!

Jesus and his disciples experienced constant pressure from needy
people and crowds, including some seeking every opportunity to
question and challenge his ministry. He realised the need at times
to get away from it all in quiet prayer with his heavenly father, to
restore his mission – a good example to his disciples and to us.

The acts of going up a mountain, experiencing solitude in nature, or
going to a different place, as when he took his disciples off to
Caesarea Philippi, can change our perspective. Whilst it is good, as
far as we are able, to be busily engaged in jobs, family, church and
other worthwhile social activity, it is important to take time out to
recharge our physical and mental batteries and to seek God’s
guidance in reviewing our own, and our churches’, vision and
mission.

As a country we are at present reviewing our national life with the
General Election (don’t forget to take your personal identification
with you when you go to vote, if you haven’t already by post!), and
we must all pray for our newly elected Councillors, M.P.s and
government – facing so many challenges. May our elected

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