Redeemer Lutheran Church, Harlow

Redeemer Lutheran Church, Harlow Harlow congregation of The Evangelical Lutheran Church of England (CLICK HERE for more information)

Sunday Services: every Sunday at 11:00am
Bible studies: every Wednesday at 1:30pm (currently no Bible Study in July and August)

Dance classes: every Wednesday from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Ladies' Guild: every other Monday at 1:30pm

18/04/2026

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Christ is *still* risen! That's the point! :-) And he continues to come to his people through words, water, bread and wine! Worship at Redeemer and ONLINE is at 11:00am tomorrow (Sun 19th April). Jesus continues to walk alongside his people unrecognised but his words about himself can make our hearts burn (with excitement and energy)!

God bless! Regards - George

The 2nd Sunday of Easter
12th April 2026

My son tells me that AI (Artificial Intelligence) is good – not perfect – at programming – and one way programmers now try to deal with the unexpected bugs is to say to AI, ‘Make this feature and make no mistakes’.

Make no mistakes! If only! And if only it was that easy to do! Our world is full of mistakes and worse than that, full of people deliberately doing things that run counter to our natural feel or knowledge about life and justice and fairness – and against external standards (or laws). In our world of cause and effect, it is easy, I think, to imagine that God should have said in Genesis, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness – and make no mistakes!”. It is easy – humanity does it all the time! – to blame the environment, our parents, our upbringing, the unjust circumstances over which we had no control, and much more for the tough, bad, rubbish parts of our life – maybe even of our life itself! And ultimately, if one is a deist, to blame God for all the mistakes in the world! It is the big metaphysical mystery how sin (and mistakes) could enter a perfect world – it has to come from somewhere – and humanity defaults to ‘not me’. (Charlotte had a postcard on the noticeboard at home of two men talking and the quip was ‘Mistakes will be made. Others will be blamed.’)

If you’re stuck in a rip at the beach whether through your ignorance or stupidity or something else, you’re in trouble. You need rescuing. The story of Jesus and him crucified and the announcement ‘Christ is risen!’ are the events that bring rescue and life to people. This is the foundation of Christianity, the cornerstone of the Church, and the core and centre of a relationship with God. From this foundation we can read from Genesis to Revelation and come to understand – in part – somewhat darkly – the depth of our sin and the grace of our God – and that if we’re going to apportion blame for the mistakes and for the evil then it must fall on us – individually and as a species. And we can face this realisation because of the rescue itself! So the followers of Jesus can live each day with repentance and joy.

Human beings would love for all mistakes to be fixed quickly – programme like – if you do what I say, we’ll all get on nicely – but since every person desires to be the centre of their universe – that’s going to produce a world of conflict and mess and, at times, such horror or despair that we even shock ourselves. In the Easter season we are comforted in this world of mistakes and mess that Jesus is with us – but we are also challenged to own our mistakes (sins) and to help those around us live well (service) because mistakes still will be ours but Jesus says that they don’t define us or have to control us. God didn’t make a mistake. We rebelled. But Jesus’ rescue gives us a life to live each day not as a programmer behind the scene but as a physical participant in a world full of other physical participants. That is why words are essential in Christianity – the incarnate Word – and embodied words – and so are water, bread and wine because Jesus (the Word made flesh) is physically and spiritually present with us – and still doing what he always does – rescuing and serving people so that they will never think that they’re just a mistake! GS

07/04/2026

Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!)

Hello! I hope you and your loved ones enjoyed a lovely Easter! Thank you to Pastors Jaime and Joel for leading worship on Good Friday and Easter Sunday and to those who were able to attend (and also on Maundy Thursday when I was with you). 😊 The world will get full of chocolate (not a bad treat of course 😉) and move on to the ‘next thing’ while we stay in the Easter season (7 weeks) – and not full of chocolate for 7 weeks! 😉 – and revisit how the first followers of Jesus adjusted, coped, and got used to Jesus’ resurrection which has changed everything!

Bible Study resumes tomorrow (8th April) at 12:30pm at church. Can we read through Revelation in 2 or 3 sessions? Bring your questions! Compline is that evening ONLINE at 8:45pm.

Worship next Sunday (12th April) is online in various ways. Details on Saturday.

God bless! Regards - George

The Resurrection of Our Lord
5th April 2026

On one day I heard the verdicts of two court cases and my sense of the world, my sense of what is right, had me smiling at one verdict – yes, according to a US court, I think that ‘big tech’ should be held accountable and responsible for many of the consequences of their social media algorithms and behaviour – and grimacing at the other verdict – no, according to the Finnish Supreme Court, I think that presenting historic Christian teaching on sexual behaviour, done with care and kindness, is not a ‘hate crime’ towards those who might disagree. Australians are known for a ‘fair go’ – is that part of my DNA in a way that is different to other parts of the world? I don’t know – but I do know that we have different laws in different countries and the ‘fair go’ has to balance competing interests in conflicts and, at the end of the day, laws help us approach justice, can approximate justice, can guide our judicial and civic behaviour but they remain tools to get things right and are not all encompassing to life. (It is not a criminal offence for me to commit adultery here in the UK but that doesn’t give me a licence to do it. Conversely, the legal system meant to help people can be so manipulated that what is right is delayed or never happens.)

I expect the case in the US to be appealed by ‘big tech’. I hope the author and publisher in Finland appeal. The details of the cases as summarised in the media are ‘flattened’ to make it easy to understand the combatants who are portrayed according to stereotypes – ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’ – and you pick your side. Reading the details of the cases reveals agendas and goals of all parties because final verdicts then ripple around the world and affect other cases – us! – corporately or personally. Again, we pick and choose with which agendas and goals we agree and which ones we would not want to see happen. So these court cases might be far from us geographically but when they reach their final conclusion, they will affect us in some way.

The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Christians in Rome described sin and forgiveness, death and life with God through the agencies of two men – Adam and Jesus – and in a judicial ‘setting’ whereby our justification by God is his declaration of ‘not guilty’ upon the guilty, upon the godless. Paul wrote:

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die – but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned – for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ (Romans 5:6-17 ESV).

It is the light from Jesus’ empty tomb – Jesus raised again to life eternal with the defeat of death’s power – Jesus’ resurrection – that reveals an ultimate big judicial picture which affects every person (actually all of creation). What God has done in Christ is not fair (to him), it wasn’t a ‘fair go’ (for him), but it deals with what is right (for us) and brings us face to face with justice and mercy (for us). And this becomes the foundation on which we live – God has declared me forgiven because of Jesus. God loves all people through Jesus and wants everyone to live their best life with him.

God’s action – revealed in a judicial setting – gives us a new identity – children of God and serving in our time and place (country). Jesus can guide and shape how we live together in this world – even the ways we work out how to live justly and fairly together. We’ll never get our judicial systems perfect and what is right will always be contested but when we stand under the cross, we are best placed to seek what is best for those around us – whether we’re in court or somewhere else. GS

02/04/2026

In the trajectory of Palm Sunday, we come to Maundy Thursday ... our service begins at 12:00pm.

Palm Sunday
29th March 2026

I had a lovely 24 hours in Ireland last weekend visiting the Mission in Cork for their Sunday service. The hospitality of my hosts was wonderful and the fellowship of those who were at the service warm and supportive of each other.

The story I haven’t told until now is that I so nearly didn’t make the flight! I was at the airport early. I was at the boarding gate early. Nevertheless my traveller’s experience kicked in when the other flights in that part of the terminal had departed and I was the only one left. There were no boarding screens visible and so I ran back – a long way! – to discover that the gate was now different. More running! I thought I might have a heart attack! ;-) I heard the announcement of last passenger and bags will be off-loaded and I arrived at the gate – the last passenger to board!

From my point of view – and before the Lord I would testify to this truth – was that the gate number was changed after I read it. The more realistic explanation is that I – yes, me – made a mistake and mismatched my flight and the gate above or below my flight. Nevertheless my experience of this incident is that it was not my fault!

I am reminded in Lent that human nature is all about everything being ‘not my fault’. When the scenes describing humanity’s relationships are given in Genesis we have God telling Adam not to eat the fruit of the tree of good and evil – Eve isn’t in the picture yet – yes, we have the dialogue and actions between Eve and the serpent but the telling point, for me, is the silence of Adam! He doesn’t remind Eve of the command he was given. When they both have eaten and God comes calling, Adam then speaks up! – remember, there are only three people in this conversation! – the woman, you put here ... !! It’s not my fault!! Paul highlights this truth in Romans 5 when teaching that sin came into the world through one man (Adam) but also salvation now comes through one man (Jesus who is sometimes called the ‘second Adam’).

It is part of our very being to minimise our culpability and maximise our accolades. Whether it is children squabbling about who ‘started it’ or the corruption of leadership at the highest level, we all can identify with this reality (even if we think that others are worse than us! 😉 ).

This is what makes us so resilient to God and his grace – and so quick to blame him for what goes wrong! We are taught to be aware of and careful to check blind spots when driving. Lent can be a tutoring time, a refresher course in our own personal behavioural and spiritual blind spots – not by mindfulness or the like but by receiving – hearing! – God’s Word – an ‘outside’ perspective to us about us. That is also where ‘speaking the truth in love’ (Ephesians 4:15) can be very helpful from Christian sisters and brothers. The Holy Spirit uses such words to show us ourselves – as we are today – so that we change behaviour that needs changing for our sakes but also for the people around us! I’m not talking about becoming a doormat and saying that everything is your fault but I am saying – and still learning! – about being honest about our sins (the bad we do and the good we don’t do) and working on our behaviour makes for better living – for everyone in your life – and even for you! The power to do this each day is, of course, God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness. God never tires of us!

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the people believed they knew what they wanted. Liberation from their oppressors! I expect everyone thought the Romans. Be that as it may – no one wants to live under tyranny, corruption, fascism, or any selfish ideology – what Jesus was coming to do as King was dethrone all the forces that held us captive, keep us blind, and with which we ourselves collude – the Lutheran description goes ‘the devil, the world, and our sinful self’ – because sin and death, misery and injustice are our fault, our own fault, our own most grievous fault! But thanks be to God who in Jesus makes us see, gives us life, and helps us live! GS

28/03/2026

Tomorrow we observe, celebrate, and ponder - how joyous should we be when our King's coronation is his crucifixion?! - the lengths God goes to restore and re-establish creation and our relationship with him after how we make the world! We meet at church and online tomorrow (Sun 29th March) at 11:00am to hear more!

Blessings on your Holy Week journey! Peace - George

The Fifth Sunday in Lent
22nd March 2026

My time in England has been the longest I’ve stayed in one place so far in my life. Logic says that even if I live to be 100, this fact will still be true. I’ve been saying ‘goodbye’ and ‘handing over’ roles and responsibilities since August. (Yes, I can imagine there’s a sense of “Hasn’t he gone yet?!” and I just smile wryly ‘soon’.) So it means that I’m not unused to packing and moving but I haven’t done it for a while! I did it again last week.

The juggle with packing is between what you want to take, what you shouldn’t take, what you need for the immediate future, and what you don’t really need (even if you think you need it). I’ve learnt that I don’t really need to keep as much as I think I need but I relearn that every trip I make! 😉

I had rooms ready to go for the packers and as the days progressed my living space diminished. When I drove away from Beck Row my life fitted into a very packed small car! Of course, I am blessed and privileged to have so much ‘stuff’ and so much time that is my life.

When I arrived here in 2002, I had no idea this would be the story of my departure. But that’s how we live life – with plans, decisions, actions with which we engage – and have responsibility for – but ultimately can’t guarantee. Two ELCE congregations called me early in time here. I declined those calls but what would my life, my family’s life, those congregations’ lives, the ELCE be like had I accepted? It’s an unknowable answer. But we believe that God weaved good things for all parties involved by my decision. Well, I believe that! Conversely when other people’s decisions and actions impacted me in ways which were not good for me, again I can believe that God will weave something good out of things not good or wise in themselves.

And so endings appear in big and little things all the time. The meal is finished; the academic year ends; the final whistle blows; the employment, marriage, and memory can cease – and we live on. Today’s account of the raising of Lazarus – four days dead! – testifies that no matter how long or short we live, no matter how much or little one has in life, no matter the stories of good or sad times, that whenever we pause and contemplate ourselves and our situation – relish the joys, regret the shames – that living with Jesus enriches and helps us life “life to the full” – even on the day we die! (Now that’s not my plan for my time here in England but then again I’ll trust God to weave good from every day!) GS

18/03/2026

The room echoes in a way I hadn't heard before - or don't remember - as the packers do their thing and take my books away. (I've also culled my library considerably - though I suspect Charlotte will say 'Not enough!'.) Lent is also a time for cleaning and removing - mostly spiritual things - which, if real and true, always results in changes of attitudes and behaviour. Spiritual disciplines can cause our lives to 'echo' - we sense difference - when God's Word fills the moments or times in our daily living as we live differently. Yes, Lent is usually about fasting in some way but that's not essential. What is essential - not just in Lent - is how we live each day - always growing in Christ - 'in repentance and by God's grace' as we receive Jesus (God's Word made flesh) and follow him.

Worship this Sunday (22nd March) is ONLINE or via reading a service at home (they were posted this morning). (I will be at the Lutheran Mission in Ireland in Cork that day. Please keep this Mission in your prayers.)

God bless. Have a good week. - George

The Fourth Sunday in Lent
15th March 2026

Last week I talked about being in the wrong with my speeding. This week I have been wronged. Persons unknown have fraudulently impersonated me with my bank accounts. One got my phone number changed on one account. Another – maybe the same person? – got my address changed and the bank sent them a new card and PIN.

So far, we and the bank haven’t lost any money (we think). What we have lost is time (well, me more than the bank) and some emotional energy (again, me more than the bank). But the many layers of levels of security have worked despite the first breach.

I’m fascinated by the time and effort involved in such events. If they have such skills, why not get a job? The answers may be many – and perhaps the fraudsters are victims of other evils? – but the answer is because it is profitable to do it.

An irony was that on the day the second incident was discovered, I was visiting the police – part of my chaplaincy 'farewell' – and I was asked about whether I knew of elderly vulnerable groups they could visit to advise how to protect themselves from fraudsters! ;-) I don’t regard myself as elderly (yet!) or vulnerable – just alive!

Was I in the wrong cyber place at the wrong time? It’s unlikely to be personal. But what if it is personal? Does that make a difference? Our world sadly is about fear and threats, the biggest walls or guns, haves and have-nots, and an astonishing ability not to care about other people. This is the world we have made since one man (Adam) let sin enter the world (Romans 5:12).

I know that's my theological framework overlaid on my experience of this moment and of my reading of history and how I understand the news. Thefts, violence, wars, how we treat those who are different from us, those who are anonymous to us, and what is wrong with things is finally down to ourselves. I needed the layers of banking security because of our sinful human nature. My grandchildren will need more levels and more sophistication. Why? Because human nature is curved in on itself and doesn’t care about anyone else.

Lent reminds us, as if we need reminding, that whether on a personal level or a global level our human nature is selfish and everyone is out to get you because ... everyone is out to get you!! But Lent also reminds us that one man, Jesus, is not out to get you – condemn you – but rather that he is out to serve you!!

What if everyone followed Jesus? Well, we wouldn’t live in paradise but perhaps the increasing need to be afraid, to have higher walls and bigger guns would lessen if everyone sought to really serve and help others – so that everyone on this planet is safe, fed, housed, educated, and truthful.

Only Jesus can change our human nature so that we can be freed from fear and sin and free to help and serve. We won’t make any utopias but that world we would make has to be better than how we live now! GS

10/03/2026

No matter our effort at getting close to God - or not - the one who makes the bigger journey and is most patient and persistent is Jesus. Yes, it can be comforting to know this ... and it can be frustrasting too, hard even, when Jesus doesn't do what we want him to do to help us. Such is Christian discipleship all over the world - in peace and in war, happy times and terrible times. Jesus' journey to the cross reminds us that God isn't remote to human lives - our lives. God understands. Knowing that also doesn't help us at times (if God understands, why doesn't he help me (as I want)!) but, in time, we learn that Jesus doesn't walk away from us, abandon us, and he does help.

Our midweek Lenten Service (about 30 minutes) is tomorrow (Wed 11th March) AT CHURCH at 12:00pm. You are welcome to stay on for our Bible Study (on Revelation). Compline is ONLINE at 8:45pm.

Then on Sunday (15th March) we worship AT CHURCH and ONLINE at 11:00am.

God bless. Peace - George

The Third Sunday in Lent
8th March 2026

I just sighed, a little annoyed, as I read the penalty notice. I had no idea I had exceeded the speed limit and I didn’t even recognise the location. Coordinating with my diary I figured out where I had broken the law and then read on. I was offered a speed awareness course and duly signed up for it. I did it early February and it wasn’t too bad – although I thought the instructor / presenter didn’t really listen to our answers – everyone has to participate in these things – and he more often wanted to hear his ‘right’ answer. Nevertheless, overall it was a good experience, and I was reminded of the laws of physics to do with speed (how little time speeding actually gains and how destructive collisions are when speeding) and the laws of the land (which are not really up for discussion for the person behind the steering wheel). These are key frameworks that are part of my reality when on the road and how they affect my behaviour is up to me.

As I finished the course and looked at my notes – yes, I had scribbled down key points – I then added them to my notes from my … earlier speed awareness course some years back. 😉 Ok, I know you’re thinking ‘Who keeps speed awareness course notes?!’ but I thought then as I did this time that while it might have been easier to pay the fine, take the points, and have the law impact me ‘from the outside’, my guess is that it would not have impacted me and my behaviour as much as spending a few hours considering my behaviour, my environment (including the laws) ‘from the inside’.

I might rail against the law. I might plead extenuating circumstances or the speed camera malfunctioning but if we don’t live within parameters, fences, boundaries and with some accountability, real consequences for our behaviour the result is chaos and real danger for us, the people around us from home to country to globally. And it is of no real benefit or safety to claim that if others are breaking the law then I can too. Such behaviour is ultimately about creating my life and the world around me in my image. Fine for you! Not fine for me. Or … fine for me but not fine for you – no matter how enlightened I say I am! 😉

When Lutherans talk about Law and Gospel, we usually are in the context of sin and grace. Our sin and God’s grace. Biblical truth makes us squirm under God’s judgement but also proclaims relief and freedom because of Jesus. This freedom is wonderful – a security of God’s love – to live not in our image but in Christ’s who reveals to us a God who serves.

What is often not in the forefront of thinking is that we understand God’s Law having three functions – a political use (or fence) so that we can live in relative stability with as minimal chaos and danger as possible; a mirror function to show us our sins before God; and for Christians who wish to follow Jesus in their discipleship, the law can guide their attitudes and behaviour (the third use of the Law). Ultimately all functions of the law reveal humanity as rebelling before God, petty and petulant tyrants in our spheres of influence. Nevertheless for the world to function, as best as possible, we will live best when we follow tribal laws, our nation’s laws, international law that promote justice and good order, the sanctity of life, sexual boundaries, respect of property, the power of words, and not be cavalier with them because we think we can get away with them. Such laws can be changed and there are processes for that and all sorts of issues emerge because laws tend to privilege groups of people over against other groups of people but to live lawlessly is dangerous … as dangerous as everyone driving on the road just as they please … hmmm … living lawlessly is more dangerous!

Lord Jesus, help me and the world to respect the rule of law so that we can live with some level of safety. Amen. GS

24/02/2026

Our midweek Lenten devotional services this Lent will consider some of the words of Jesus on the cross. We meet at church on Wednesdays at 12:00pm. Afterwards, if people are able to stay, we'll have a Bible Discussion (bring your own topics! ;-) ). We start tomorrow (25th Feb) and conclude on 25th March.

This Sunday (1st March) worship is at church and online at 11:00am. Afterwards we will be having a congregational meeting.

In the midst of eveyday living - ups and downs - how nice to hear of the birth of Lillie Rose. Blessings to her and her family!

God bless! Regards - George

The First Sunday in Lent
22nd February 2026

Potholes, Star Wars, and the Vicar of Dibley’s puddle scene have been running through my head as I drive around the country – lots of driving – and Lent too. I avoid potholes, if I can, but it’s harder at night on unfamiliar roads and in the sleet and rain with the headlights on I have the sense of weaving the Millennium Falcon through the asteroids! 😉 On some local roads at night I do avoid the potholes because I know where they are – next to that gate, just before that hedge – and the car doesn’t go thud. At other times the thud is so wincing – what damage have I done now?! And then there are the ‘don’t care’ times – often microseconds of my life – and yes, I know it’s stupid but I can still ignore the potholes and drive through/over/in them – it won’t matter – and even as I write this I know it’s dumb to do – but sometimes I’m annoyed that they’re there, or I’m in a rush, or it’s so shallow it won’t matter.

Of course, if you know the Vicar of Dibley and the ‘puddle scene’ which is very funny or if you’ve grown up being told never to dive into water without knowing its depth, you can discover very quickly a dramatic outcome you didn’t expect! From which you might laugh or be laughed at or never walk again!

The season of Lent focuses on Jesus – rightly so – his solidarity with us to rescue us as one of us. We see him as the fanatic with all his talk of his Father and his signs that point to him and God being one. Blasphemous. Deranged. And so we execute him in a way to show that he is cursed by God. That Jesus is raised to life reveals the depth of a truth we couldn’t comprehend – that he who had no sin became sin so we (who are sinners) might become the righteousness of God!

The point here is that the depth and perversity of our situation has to be revealed to us as well. We default into thinking ‘we’re not that bad’ which means that there are always people ‘worse’ than us and living is ok except for the potholes. And your life is what happens when you react – or not – to potholes. Except that in Lent, we discover that sin – rebellion against God and our desire to have control – is actually within us. And that our road conditions are products of us (whom do we blame for potholes? 😉). So we have two names for the classic Lutheran forces of evil that rage against God – our sinful self and the world. The third force – the devil – ironicly in Lent knows the truth – ‘since you are the Son of God …’ the devil says to Jesus in trying to tempt Jesus to do his own thing but the devil shows the perversity of sin in that he knows Jesus and still rejects him just as we can recognise ourselves as we drive into potholes – be damned the lot of you, I’ll do things my way!

The story of Jesus is always a story of rescue – of God’s grace and mercy to sinners – and in Lent we are reminded of this but also that our situation is much worse and complicated than we realised for all people on Planet Earth are captured by their sinful self, the world, the devil and hordes. Only Jesus can set us free – and he helps us drive no matter the conditions of the driver or the road! GS

15/02/2026

Today (Sun 15th Feb) we celebrate Jesus' transfiguration. I think we make more of a big thing of it than Jesus! Come along and find out why at 11:00am at Redeemer!

Peace to you! - George

PS. And for a sense of completeness and in case you were looking for LAST Sunday's bulletin blurb (yes, ok, whoops!) ... here it is ... :-)

The 5th Sunday after The Epiphany
8th February 2026

Continuing my experience at the Tower of London and the Ceremony of the Keys that I mentioned last week … I don’t get any commission by encouraging you, if you haven’t already, to go along one night. 😊

Ever since Edward III instituted locking the royal palace for the night (after walking straight in one night unannounced and unchallenged or welcomed) part of the ceremony involves telling those in the palace that the gates are locked.

How does everyone know this – that the palace is secure? Some of you will know but I didn’t and I’m a little embarrassed to say that I didn’t. In armies and navies long before our modern communication technology, sound – the beat of a drum or note from a bugle or a pipe – sends messages. Now when a camp is secure – then those inside can relax – when all the sentry posts have been checked by the commander then … ‘The Last Post’ is heard. This began in the British Army in the 1790s as one of a number of bugle calls to signal what is happening. Reveille signals the start of the day and roll call. The First Post signals the end of the day when the commander begins his checking the sentry posts and ‘The Last Post’ – effectively means the camp is closed for the night – ‘all is well’ inside the camp. Sleep well. The sentries are on duty. I didn’t know that.

It was in the time of the Boer War that ‘The Last Post’ began to mark those who had fallen in conflicts and I can imagine the thinking was very much “rest well – your task is done – thank you” – and by the time of the Great War / WW1 it was part of military funerals on the battlefield and at home and this is how we know it because it is part of all Remembrance ceremonies. This is more of what I knew about ‘The Last Post’. So when the bugler began, I think I was the only one in the crowd, who came to attention.

Both contexts of ‘The Last Post’ – the origin and today’s strong Remembrance focus – have, at their heart, a desire for security, a place to rest, where we don’t have to be on alert for fear of attack, when we don’t have to be so guarded. It’s hard to live on ‘high alert’ all the time! We want a place where we can just be ourselves – safe, relaxed, secure. For some people, this can be home but not all homes are the same. For some, it is our peers but not all peers really care for others and they can be another jungle. For some, it is online but that world has more ability to deceive than probably anything else – so there, more than anywhere else, be on guard. For some, it might be school or sport or Sea Cadets or church – we all want a place – we all want relationships – where we can be secure, be ourselves.

Jesus once told his disciples that his Father’s house has many rooms and he has prepared a place for them. That image is often thought of as a heavenly picture and it is but it also has a this-world dimension. The Greek word for ‘room’ has the idea of remaining – safe and secure – think of a favourite place you like to go – your room, a spot in the garden, a shelter in the forest, a safe harbour – think of a secure relationship in which you don’t have to be defensive or on your guard. Christians trust Jesus to be that relationship for them; and the Divine Service to be a secure place to be themselves. That’s what the cross and empty tomb teaches – security and love from God and with God – in this world, now.

And so when I now hear ‘The Last Post’ I hope I’m reminded not only of the occasion at the time but also that all can be well – and everyone wants to be safe and secure amongst the hassles and horrors of our lives – and that God has sacrificed himself so that all people can live with a safety and security that the world cannot destroy. And thus all is well. GS

Address

Bush Fair
Harlow
CM186PN

Opening Hours

Wednesday 11am - 3pm
Sunday 11am - 1pm

Telephone

+441279830539

Website

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