March’s Newsletter

Dear friends,

Well it’s Lent again; a season that speaks more of spring that the current continuing winter. Yet it always has more to say. For when we think of our Lord’s time in the wilderness, we see that it was more than just a period of temptation. It was indeed a time of contemplation, of planning and recommitment to what was worthwhile. Now that is a pretty good idea for us in St Luke’s as we consider this year of renewal in all aspects of our common life together.

However, there is no doubt that these cold days can leave us a bit down. So much so, we say to ourselves I can’t really offer very much. But that forgets a story I have quoted in the past.   It was about a boy who was born over 130 years ago in a poor part of Nottingham. He left school at 13 to help his mother carry on her business in a tiny herbal shop that his father had started before his death. Its parlour walls where hung with drying herbs and there was always some concoction simmering in a big iron pot. It was a struggle for them and he often could be seen with his sister, barefooted, gathering the various plants they used.

Nevertheless he was a plodder and built his business by hard work and pure commitment. In time, his wife joined him in the firm and she prided herself in looked after their staff; giving them a Bible or breakfast as their need demanded. Now a wealthy man, he then endowed his home town with its further education college.

Who was that man? His name was Jesse Boot and as we know Boots, the Chemist, is a large national concern employing more people that either the Royal Navy or Royal Air Force.

The lesson then is clear. No matter what we think we have to offer, we always have something to build up, something to commit to and someone to serve. Since, when Christ was tempted to do otherwise, he reminds us all from his wilderness moment to ’Worship the Lord your God and serve him only’!