We’ve just thawed out after being out in the city for new year celebrations. There were fireworks! Before them there was a watchnight service in the cathedral. However you mark it, in church, at a party, getting too drunk, watching Jools Holland or just not bothering, the turn of the year reminds us that time doesn’t stand still. The world turns. And there are times of human turning. So that’s why people make resolutions. The turn of the year in some people is a physical and mental and spiritual moment to be able to start again especially if the last year wasn’t good or things need to change.
In her sermon in the cathedral, Bishop Anna preached on Ecclesiastes chapter 3: “for everything there is a season under heaven.” She emphasised the words “under heaven.”
Stuff happens. We don’t know why stuff happens, good stuff or bad stuff and we don’t know why God sends stuff. Every year has its mixture. The teacher of Ecclesiastes says we just need to live! The invitation is to live every moment. We are to live every moment of celebration and joy and through the difficult ones with prayer and confidence we are not alone.
We had lit candles to process with to the market square where the Bishop was to bless the city. They blew out as we walked out into the wind. It might be hard to keep the light alive this coming year but we have to keep trying. We have fireworks I think tonight to light up the darkness and to say there can be celebration in everything.
So Happy New Year everyone. I love this cartoon from a website I discovered today. Part of the turning is we’ve made it through another various year to use Charles Wesley’s phrase about divine providence so whatever we’ve been through God has been there. And that’s really worth getting your blower thing out about! More new year thoughts later. I’ve now thawed out at 2.38am after a cup of mulled wine and a cup of ribena. It really was raw out there tonight!
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