July 2010 - Vol. 32, No. 7

Dear Friends

There's nothing like sunshine for showing up the smears on the windows and the cobwebs in the corners. Bright, sunny weather also brings encouragement to venture out of doors, whether for recreation, to tackle the gardening, or to catch up on some outside jobs. During a recent sunny spell I decided the time had come to clean my car. I washed the outside, but still haven't got around to sweeping out the interior. Our lives can be a bit like that - outwardly everything looks fine, but do our innermost thoughts bear close scrutiny? Whatever our lives look like on the outside, some of us may be eaten up with worries and cares, or we could be harbouring a grudge or nursing hurt feelings.

When a man with a gun ran amok in West Cumbria, Ron commented that for him, a 'Cumbrian lad', this felt a bit close to home. A lot of people enjoy holidays in the Lake District. The perception of many of us is that gun crime is rife in our big towns and cities, but it's not what we would expect in Whitehaven and the nearby places where people were shot and killed. The truth is that violence can erupt anywhere. As our hearts go out to those affected by this tragedy, theories are being put forward about what caused an apparently respectable man suddenly to go around shooting people.

Christians believe that human beings are made in the image of God, with a capacity for goodness, kindness and love. We also believe that the divine image in us is marred by sin. there's a flaw in all of us and in certain destructive behaviour. Thankfully, for most of us, that won't involve killing and wounding with weapons, but we may cause hurt by our words and our attitudes.

Jesus said that from the heart all kinds of wickedness come. Bad thoughts can lead to cruel words and evil deeds. At the start of the Holy Communion service we often use a prayer asking God to cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We have recently celebrated the Spirit's coming at Pentecost as a mighty rushing wind and tongues of fire. Wind can blow the dust from the corners; fire cleanses and refines. We need the Holy Spirit in all our hearts to cleanse and purity, and to fill our minds with those good thoughts that lead us to speak and act kindly. When we learn to live as the spirit of God directs, our words and deeds will never be destructive, for we shall be motivated to help and encourage and to live creatively and constructively in the world.

With my love and prayers

Glynis Hetherington.