Letter 11
My Dear Friends at Sion Baptist Church, I trust this letter finds you well or, if you prefer, as well as can be expected under the continuing circumstances. It has been another week of political controversy in this country and across the world. But I have to say that, whatever the actions of some ‘notable people’ in respect of lockdown behaviour and guidelines, I urge you all to take the best possible care of each other by staying out of one another’s way! Even saying this seems so counter-intuitive, and at odds with the disposition of the church to join together in fellowship. I am aware that this Sunday will be yet another notable Christian festival, Pentecost, which is renowned for great crowds! So, just as with Easter, we will have our own “private Pentecost”, though you will not be alone. The more time I spend away from the church (as we have known it) the more I realise just how much we need the Spirit of the Lord to sustain and strengthen us. We will be better and grow stronger for this experience, I am sure. In the meantime the church leaders have begun to think through some of the safety protocols that we might put in place when the time comes. The Baptist Union and the Region will provide additional guidance. We will not make any decisions without significant conversations with you, the church membership. One thing is for sure the Lord knows the best time and we will continue our praying for his will and wisdom in these things.
I missed a TV programme last night about ‘unsung heroes’. But I suppose in these days of catch up TV I might get to see it at some point. Never has our utter dependence on our so-called “unskilled workers” been as apparent as it has been in these last few months. Prince Charles spoke of our pending need for “pickers who are stickers”. Our eastern European friends have kept food on our tables for years by labouring in our fields and we rarely gave our migrant workers a second thought. If they don’t turn up much of what we expect just won’t be available. The bin men have just arrived, as I write, to collect the rubbish. Thank you Lord! I remember all-too-well the “winter of discontent” and the stench of uncollected rubbish.
There are unsung heroes everywhere, even in our church: like Carmen, Joanne Thompson and Joanne Maudesley, Liam and Ann and others, unseen often, who volunteer. Thank You Lord! Every Thursday at 8 pm the country has stood to clap for the carers. Until recently many of these people were simply an ignored underclass, some of them treated as little more than slaves even in our so-called enlightened land. The truth is we’d be in an even bigger mess without them. And then there are the ladies who make and send greetings cards with a timely message of encouragement or those who knit angels for their neighbours and for those who are in hospital. They are people who give. How often we are people who take.
I remember many years ago when Susan and I lived in Margate there was a certain road-sweeper (you don’t see too many of them these days) who gave such care and attention to his work that I was often transfixed by him. Now, you might say that I had better things to do with my time than stare out of the window, but no; he was most definitely an unsung hero. I would watch him with his push-cart and big broom, sweeping Harold Road top to bottom, all 250 yards of it, one side then the other. He seemed slow but he wasn’t, not really. He was meticulous and skilful and strong in both hands as he wielded his shovel with a surgeon’s precision, not missing a thing! The man just went about his business pretty much unnoticed. But I noticed him and one day I simply had to talk to him and I said that he was the best road-sweeper I had ever seen. A humble man, he smiled and graciously accepted my compliment. We got into a conversation and I learned that he attended a local church and that he loved his work and his community and that when he was tired and sore he kept on working and would constantly remind himself that this work he did he also did for the Lord. What I haven’t told you is that this man whose name I have forgotten had a very pronounced limp. He lived with constant pain.
I was reminded of the Apostle Paul’s instructions on godly living: 22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favour, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favouritism. (Colossians 3: 22-25)
So, take care, stay safe, and may God bless you in whatever you turn your hand to, you might just be a hero.
With love from Mark & Susan 28/05/20