Weekly Thoughts

FATHER MICHAEL’S DIARY

25 APRIL 2025

NUMBERS AREN’T EVERYTHING

On Easter Day my immediate family were taking part in services in four different parishes. Anne, my wife, was here at St John’s while I was at St Andrew’s Croydon, Judith, our daughter, was at St Peter’s Tandridge and Cynthia, my wife’s sister, was at St Matthew’s, Wimbledon. Four very different places: St Peter’s is a village church in the stockbroker belt, St Matthew’s is part of the parish of Wimbledon, probably the richest parish in the Diocese, St Andrew’s is a very small backstreet church, in one of the least affluent parts of Croydon. Yet all four of us reported that attendance was at an all time high. At St Andrew’s the congregation was over twice the size I had expected and St Peter’s I understand was similar as was St Matthew’s. You know what St John’s was like.

They say that one swallow does not make a summer and next Sunday is called Low Sunday for a very good reason! Although the derivation of the term is uncertain, but we shall see. Could these surprisingly good attendance figures indicate a trend for rising attendance, only time will tell. One reason it might be that we live in more uncertain times than we have for many years. First war on European soil since 1945 is raging in Ukraine, matched by the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the Sudan, Myanmar and elsewhere. Politics in the USA have lurched dangerously and unpredictably to the right with Donald Trump becoming president and overall looms the threat of climate change. In face of so much uncertainty it is only natural to turn to something offering the reassurance of a bigger picture. And that’s what the Christianity offers us. The faith has endured for over 2,000 years in the face of all the vicissitudes of history and more than that, particularly at Easter time offers us the prospect of life beyond the grave. It tells that the dissolution of all we know and love is not the end but that life in some form goes on.

That faith has given men and women the courage to face all sorts of dangers and defeats, to overcome mountainous obstacles and to press in the face of all sorts of uncertainties in the hope of a better tomorrow. Can we do anything less? Even without a revival the Church has always stood for faith in the Resurrection and the hope it inspires and it does so today. We are challenged to live out the Resurrection faith and the Resurrection hope in our daily lives in the places where we find ourselves. 

READINGS AND PRAYERS

27 APRIL – THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER – John 20,19-31 – doubting Thomas – for all who doubt the Resurrection of our Lord

28 APRIL – GEORGE, MARTYR, PATRON OF ENGLAND, c.304 – Revelation12.7-12 – Michael and his angels fight against the dragon – that God will bless our land

29 APRIL – Catherine of Siena, Teacher of the Faith, 1380 – Proverbs 8.1,6-11 – does not wisdom call? – for all who search for wisdom

30 APRIL – MARK THE EVANGELIST – Mark 13.5-13 – the one who endures to the end will be saved – for steadfastness in our faith

1 MAY – PHILIP AND JAMES, APOSTLES – John 14.1-14 – believe me  because of the works themselves – all who work to serve the Church 

2 MAY – Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, Teacher of the Faith, 373 – Ecclesiasticus 4.20-28 – watch for the opportune time – that we may be alert to opportunities to declare our faith

3 MAY – Saturday – Acts 6.1-7 – the appointment of the first deacons – all who serve the church in diaconal ministries