Message from the Pastoral Care and Eldership Team (PaCET) for Sunday Meeting 28th July 2024

Dear Friends,

The news that Joe Biden will not now run against Donald Trump in the forthcoming US presidential election makes me replace my planned message. This one is not originally mine. It comes from the section of the Hebrew Bible known as wisdom literature. Here it is in full, although some Friends will not agree with every word:

For everything its season

and for every activity under heaven its time

a time to be born and a time to die

a time to plant and a time to uproot

a time to kill and a time to heal

a time to break down and a time to build up

a time to weep and a time to laugh

a time for mourning and a time for dancing

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them

a time to embrace and a time to abstain from embracing

a time to seek and a time to lose

a time to keep and a time to discard

a time to tear and a time to mend

a time for silence and a time for speech

a time to love and a time to hate

a time for war and a time for peace

Ecclesiastes Chapter 3

Translation: The Oxford Study Bible

I find much in this piece of poetry very relevant to 21st century life.

In friendship
Caroline

on behalf of the Pastoral Care and Eldership Team (David Hitchin, Chris Lawson, Tim Pitt-Payne, Caroline Pybus, Theresa Samms and Nancy Wall)