{"id":4720,"date":"2021-02-04T11:35:01","date_gmt":"2021-02-04T11:35:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arthurrankcentre.org.uk\/?p=4720"},"modified":"2021-02-04T11:35:01","modified_gmt":"2021-02-04T11:35:01","slug":"week-34-the-plans-we-have","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arthurrankcentre.org.uk\/week-34-the-plans-we-have\/","title":{"rendered":"Week 34: The plans we have"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

Week 34: The plans we have<\/h1>\n
\n
\n

You will, I’m sure, have noticed that this email is a day late;\u00a0for that we’re very sorry. The reasons for that are slightly convoluted. The most straightforward is\u00a0that processes here at the Arthur Rank Centre didn’t work quite as they should have, but behind that, of course, is the bigger reality that life throws up surprises.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have to admit, I’m quietly enjoying the irony that the week our plans for this email go awry is the same week that Revd Dr Ben Aldous has chosen to focus his reflection on Jeremiah 29 which includes that famous – possible infamous – passage about the plans God has for us!<\/p>\n

The last 24 hours have reminded me, once again, of the reality that we’ve all been forced to embrace in a new way over the last year, that life is actually far less predictable and ‘controllable’ than we used to kid ourselves that it was! That’s not, of course, to say that we shouldn’t plan anything at all – for many of us that would be\u00a0at best\u00a0unhelpful and\u00a0at\u00a0worst\u00a0downright irresponsible – but that it’s OK to ‘sit light’ to our plans.<\/p>\n

Whether your experience of this week is that it’s ticking along exactly as you’d planned, that you’re just lurching through chaos or, possibly more realistically, it’s a mixture of all kinds of planned for and unexpected moments, may you continue to experience the presence of God with you through it all!<\/p>\n

Go well!<\/p>\n

Louise, on behalf of the Arthur Rank Centre team<\/span><\/p>\n

louise.davis@arthurrankcentre.org.uk<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

Bible reading: Jeremiah 29:1-14<\/strong><\/h1>\n

This is the text of the letter\u00a0that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.\u00a0(This was after King Jehoiachin\u00a0and the queen mother,\u00a0the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.)\u00a0He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is what the\u00a0Lord\u00a0Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried\u00a0into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:\u00a0\u2018Build\u00a0houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.\u00a0Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek\u00a0the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray\u00a0to the\u00a0Lord\u00a0for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.\u00a0Yes, this is what the\u00a0Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: \u2018Do not let the prophets\u00a0and diviners among you deceive\u00a0you. Do not listen to the dreams\u00a0you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies\u00a0to you in my name. I have not sent them,\u2019 declares the\u00a0Lord.<\/p>\n

This is what the\u00a0Lord\u00a0says: When seventy years\u00a0are completed for Babylon, I will come to you\u00a0and fulfill my good promise\u00a0to bring you back to this place.\u00a0For I know the plans\u00a0I have for you,\u2019 declares the\u00a0Lord, \u2018plans to prosper\u00a0you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.\u00a0Then you will call\u00a0on me and come and pray\u00a0to me, and I will listen\u00a0to you. You will seek\u00a0me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.\u00a0I will be found by you,\u2019 declares the\u00a0Lord, \u2018and will bring you back\u00a0from captivity.\u00a0I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,\u2019 declares the\u00a0Lord, \u2018and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.\u2019<\/p>\n

Reflection<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This passage has the privilege of having the most nominations for the \u2018Verse tattooed on my leg but completely taken out of context\u2019 award. But to write a reflection based on that one verse (verse 11 if you didn\u2019t know) would be foolish. The theme of exile dominates this passage. Jeremiah writes the letter to counteract the false prophets who were heralding a swift return back to their homeland. In fact, the exile was to last a long, long time and Jeremiah encourages his listeners to carry on normal activities as far as they are able. To build homes, marry off their children and \u2018settle\u2019 by praying for the prosperity of their new home.<\/h3>\n

The theme of exile is one which will resonate with many of us as Christians. Paul Bradbury\u2019s book\u00a0Another Route Home<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/em>uses the metaphor of exile to explain the way in which the church has increasingly lost power and influence in society. At one point in history the church and the Christian faith it represented could count on reputation and recognition. That is generally no longer the case. Even in rural settings the church that was once the centre of the village and village life may have been replaced by the pub or the school. The church may no longer be even open. The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated this situation in many settings. My sister was church warden for her little village in rural Devon. There have been no services for months and even if lockdown ended tomorrow and all was well again the likelihood is that the church may never reopen regularly.<\/p>\n

This obviously gives us as followers of Jesus in rural settings some cause for concern. But the theme of exile and being marginalised may in fact be a gift rather than a curse. The early church up until the mid 4th century was the\u00a0religio illicita<\/em>\u00a0(outlawed religion) and it was at its most vibrant and creative, forming an alternative community of radical love and inclusion which caused many to join.<\/p>\n

COVID-19 infections and the continued high death rate so far this year may illicit fear and despair in us. The way in which the church is struggling may make us feel hopeless. But there is hope. The church\u00a0is<\/em>\u00a0responding in incredibly creative ways. Zoom might not be our favoured medium of connecting but it\u2019s opened up opportunities to be together (even if only virtually). This past week as part of my work at Christians Together in England I was encouraged to hear how\u00a0Churches Together in Cornwall<\/a>\u00a0are planning to work closely with the Big Lunch to gather people in the post-COVID-19 recovery period. Stories of creative responses to restrictions, like\u00a0Churches Together in Thirsk\u2019s drive-in carol service<\/a>\u00a0this Christmas, have been fantastic to hear. Whilst we feel shut up and at times disconnected the Church has survived through more trying periods in her history and we will grow into the new shape God might have for us.<\/p>\n

Response<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Connecting with neighbours<\/em><\/h3>\n

Having moved into a new home during lockdown we have found it almost impossible to get to know those in our community. We are a family of 6 so it\u2019s been a challenge even when restrictions were looser. My children have making things and putting these little gifts through the doors of our neighbours who have three small children. Find a way to bless you neighbour with a tangible sign of God\u2019s love this week.<\/p>\n

Prayer<\/strong>\u00a0(from the\u00a0Methodist Church<\/strong><\/a>)<\/h3>\n
\n

God of all hope we call on you today.
\nWe pray for those who are living in fear:
\nFear of illness, fear for loved ones, fear of other\u2019s reactions to them.
\nMay your Spirit give us a sense of calmness and peace.<\/p>\n

We pray for your church in this time of uncertainty.
\nFor those people who are worried about attending worship.
\nFor those needing to make decisions in order to care for other
\nFor those who will feel more isolated by not being able to attend.
\nGrant us your wisdom.<\/p>\n

Holy God, we remember that you have promised that
\nNothing will separate us from your love \u2013 demonstrated to us in Jesus Christ.
\nHelp us turn our eyes, hearts and minds to you.<\/p>\n

Amen.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Revd Dr Ben Aldous, Churches Together in England<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":4090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[291,1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWeek 34: The plans we have - The Arthur Rank Centre<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/arthurrankcentre.org.uk\/week-34-the-plans-we-have\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Week 34: The plans we have - The Arthur Rank Centre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/arthurrankcentre.org.uk\/week-34-the-plans-we-have\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Arthur Rank Centre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/arthurrankcentre\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-02-04T11:35:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/arcentre.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/02093839\/Together-Apart-Social-Media-Post-Twitter_Insta_Facebook.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"833\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"728\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rachael Short\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ArthurRankCentr\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ArthurRankCentr\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Rachael Short\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/arthurrankcentre.org.uk\/week-34-the-plans-we-have\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/arthurrankcentre.org.uk\/week-34-the-plans-we-have\/\",\"name\":\"Week 34: The plans we have - 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