I have travelled to the other side of the world to stand in front of the stained glass window before me at St Andrew’s Church in Plimmerton.
The window is a tribute to my childhood friend, Ian, whose journey ended some 20 years ago. A school and church friend who welcomed me, a ‘green behind the ears’ stranger of eight years, recently arrived from Christchurch.
As I reflect on Ian’s simple act of compassion many years ago it is Fr Richard’s words in Wokingham which remind me that a church is one of those rare places where you can meet everyone in your community, from eight weeks old to octogenarians, joined by a simple premise of being kind to others.
I am certain that the same could be said of a mosque, synagogue, temple or gurudwara for that matter. A simple premise that compels us to gather as a community to look after our neighbour as ourselves.
As we face the challenges and difficulties of 2023 then maybe now is the time to consider or return to our community of kindness?
‘Yeah, nah’, I hear you say, ‘I have plenty of existing connections into the community which work well with all the demands of daily living.’
Actually, that is perfectly understandable. So….,
How about doing something kind for your neighbour?
Well ‘who is my neighbour?’, you may ask.
I suspect, if you look up and around as you finish this article, your neighbour will not be too far away.
Jason Searancke, from St Paul’s Church in Wokingham, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham
