PACT News

18 April – Rev’d David Muskett, Petersfield Methodist Church

Life and Hope

What’s your name? Our names are important to us; we can be quite upset if someone gets our name wrong or really pleased if someone remembers it!
Have you ever been – or perhaps you are at the moment – in a place of darkness, despair, grief, emptiness and confusion?

It may be at the loss of a loved one, or a treasured object, or a job; it may be arising from illness for you or a loved one; it may be at the state of a world of conflict, disaster, and climate change.

One word in the recent celebrations of Easter reminds us that to God this is not just global or cosmic it is also personal.

At the first Easter there were many people for whom life was empty, dark and confused and the only emotion they could identify was grief. Jesus had died an agonising, criminal’s death on Friday; he’d been buried in a hurry and early on Sunday morning just a few of his followers had gone to the tomb to grieve and do what they could that they hadn’t time for on Friday.
One of them stayed alone outside the tomb weeping and met a man she supposed to be the gardener who asked why she was crying. I suspect she wanted to shout at him, ‘Why do you think I’m crying? You’d be crying after what I’ve been through and now his body’s been taken away.’

‘Mary’ he said. That’s the turning point. He called her by name; He calls us by name.

This is personal.

In the midst of your confusion, darkness, despair, emptiness and grief this is personal – he calls you by name.

There is hope; there is life; he is with you; he calls you by name.

11 April – Peter Belton Saint Mary Magdalen Church, Sheet

Be Encouraged

At this time, when we see so much trouble around us, we look for encouragement and trust in the God who loves us to bits.

Some time ago I dreamed…

It was a black night. I was high up in the sky, looking at the south of England, which was pitch black with just one or two little twinkles. I could see the sea and beyond, France.

Slowly, just one or two more tiny lights became visible and then, more more more. At first they seemed to be randomly dotted about. More came and the earlier ones grew in brightness and they seemed to be forming chains which linked up with one another. The black areas became isolated and restricted in size by the increasing light. The lines of lights became brighter and thicker and the areas of darkness smaller and smaller… The process continued…

I never did get to see the darkness disappear or the blaze of light that would eventually engulf the area. Perhaps I’ll die before it happens…

Nevertheless I am convinced that God is at work right now, though sometimes it seems there is still so much blackness around there seems to be little evidence of His work and we are discouraged to put our trust in Him.

But, BE ENCOURAGED, our lover God is at work! The light WILL overcome the dark. Jesus WILL come again… Believe it!

5th April – Submitted on behalf of Petersfield Quakers by Geoff Pilliner

Do we have to hate?

Hatred. Retribution. An eye for an eye. Is this normal for everyday life? That it leads to conflict, fighting, wars, is obvious. When hatred rules, no one wins. Hatred takes away freedom, security, relationships, wellbeing, infrastructure, allies, lives.

Few people delight in hatred. We want a peaceful existence, to get the best for ourselves and the world at large. Working together in peace is the best way for everyone to live safer, happier, more productive lives. So what is the problem?

Winston Churchill, Britain’s wartime leader, said ‘to jaw jaw is better than to war war’. Churchill understood the importance of negotiation. People do disagree. Disagreement is not wrong. It can be productive. But if we insist ‘I am right and you are wrong’, then conflict and its consequences follow.
Jesus of Nazareth taught that we should love our enemies. This love is not the emotional stuff of romantic novels, but treating your neighbour as yourself, listening to them, talking with them, respecting them, sharing with them. This applies nationally and internationally too. Mankind has to learn to negotiate on a level playing field. Pie in the sky? No. It is our survival, as individuals, groups, and nations.

‘Where words are strange or disturbing to you, try to sense where they come from and what has nourished the lives of others. Listen patiently and seek the truth which other people’s opinions may contain for you. Avoid hurtful criticism and provocative language. Do not allow the strength of your convictions to betray you into making statements or allegations that are unfair or untrue. Think it possible that you may be wrong.’ This quotation from the Quaker ‘Advices and Queries’ applies universally, whether playground arguments, divorce proceedings, industrial action, or international tensions. It is the basis of negotiation. It is the way from hatred to peace and prosperity for everyone.