Each quarter a different member of the pastoral team writes the pastoral letter.
This quarter it is the turn of Rev Gaynor Hall
Winter Quarter
Dear Friends,
The Light of the World
As I write, the winter evenings are drawing in and as the daylight shortens, car headlights, lights in homes,shops and offices, get switched on earlier and earlier.
How we love the long summer days of June, and Autumn days too, when the sun shines through the changing colours of foliage and fruits on plants and trees and there's still enough warmth in the sun to do without the scarves and gloves of winter.
The fireworks and bonfires of November 5th and the gaudy festive lights are an attempt to brighten up the long, dark days of winter but bear no comparison to the glory of a sunny day. Yet perhaps there is another factor at work here within each one of us: a deep belief and hope, that light does indeed dispel darkness, joy overcome sorrow, good conquers evil and life comes after death. These, of course, are the themes of Advent and Christmas which proclaim what the world could and should be like.
Light is a special symbol for many religious traditions across the world, but for the Christian it has a more precise focus in Jesus Christ whose star shone in the heavens on the night of his birth. He is the one who continues to shine in the darkness, bringing light to all: yesterday, today and tomorrow.
But when we talk of Christ as the 'light of the world'. What sort of light are we talking about? Of course most of you reading this article are familiar with all the hymns and Bible passages that describe Jesus as the light of the world, but what does it say to most people and how does it impact on everyday life?
What difference does it make to your life and the way you live it?
All of us have watched in horror this year as we have seen the continuing carnage of Iraq and the mounting casualties in the Middle East conflicts. The terrorist attacks at home and abroad, the ever-widening gap between rich and poor, East and West. So many examples of the darkness so many people continue to endure and the depths to which humankind can stoop. In such a context it can seem trite and insensitive to talk of light, indeed,hard to talk of God at all.
The season of Advent is about waiting and preparing and perhaps as much a time of self-examination as Lent. 'Light' is a special symbol at this time of the year and for that reason we can't take it for granted, failing to consider what it means for the church, in this time of change and re-shaping, for our communities and what we can offer to them; and how in our small corner, we can be flickers of light to the world.
"Star of wonder, star of night
star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding,
guide us to thy perfect light"
Every blessing for Advent and Christmas
Gaynor Hall
The demon drink 
September's Circuit Meeting was privileged to hear a presentation by Rachel Houghton of alcohol services for the community (asc), a Luton and Bedford based organisation that aims to promote a healthier lifestyle without reliance on alcohol or other drugs. Rachel's talk was the result of an earlier Circuit Meeting discussion prompted by the Local Preachers' Meeting.
Rachel began with a session aimed at dispelling some myths: alcohol does not warm you up (in fact it tends to do the opposite) and it is not a stimulant (it's actually a depressant if anything). Other facts Rachel told us were, in light of how the media presents things, even more startling (to me at least). Around 33,000 each year in this country die as a direct or indirect result of alcohol. Compared with the 1,500 or so who die from causes related to drug use, the numbers are astounding. Of course, each drugs related death is a small tragedy in its own right, but one would not think, to read the press, that the impact of alcohol - a perfectly legal dangerous drug - was so disproportionately greater. If alcohol was a new product invented today, could it be sold legally?
The original initiative for the discussion came from Archie Whitby: his question to the Circuit was 'what should we be doing locally to help end the scourge of excessive alcohol consumption'. Rachel's answer was clear: support the work of asc through publicising what it does and - where you can - through direct support.
Rachel brought a great deal of literature and other promotional material with her. Speak to your Church representatives at the Meeting in order to have a look at the material. The Circuit, through the
Circuit Leadership Team, will be considering what it can do to support asc's work. Might your Church do the same?
Rachel can be contacted by phone on 01234 344133, by e-mail at rachel.houghton@alcohol-services.co.uk, or by post at: jkp Bedford, 32 St John's Street, Bedford, MK42 0DH.
asc have a website at http://www.alcohol-services.co.uk.
Richard Ward
Pages compiled by Peter Fletcher
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