The Vicar's Monthly Jottings

February 2012

This month Nick Grew writes:

Investment is so important. Right now we're hearing how our economy is struggling and one factor that is both cause and effect is a lack of visionary investment [i.e. more than just a savings account]. All of us know at a personal level what that feels like as our own incomes effectively shrink and we have to make decisions on what we can or cannot afford.
The word that often gets bandied about is 'confidence' - where people have confidence they will take a risk now, anticipating future payback. We can see that issue explored in Jesus' teaching [e.g. Parable of the Talents] and the disciples' experiences [e.g. Feeding the 5000].

I'm fascinated by the response of the third servant in the above Parable whose take on his master led him to bury what he had been given out of fear of the future. In our sermons over the next couple of months we're exploring the scope of God's love for us. Everything we have and do arises out of our ongoing grasp of that love. We are "loved from all eternity", as Julian of Norwich put it. Two servants stepped out with confidence in the master's heart and fairness; the one buried what he had out of fear.
We have some key decisions to make and while we are also told in scripture to weigh up the risks and costs, what we do will have more to do with our confidence in God's love than our confidence in our economy, personal or national. Past investments should give us confidence as we see the outcomes [e.g. employing Jo as Children & Families Worker and now seeing the increase in 20:20, Messy Church & Ju:C].

Will we choose to invest in Chrissie Lacey as Pioneer Schools Minister and part-time curate with us working to expand ministry to those in their 20's and 30's? With options to change Sunday patterns how will we choose to invest our time? With questions about the gifts God has given us, where will we invest them for His kingdom? And with all this going on, will we all invest time in prayer to seek The Father's will?

Our response to all of these and more must arise from our confidence in the love God has for us [1John 3:16]. His love protects us, trusts in us, hopes in us, perseveres with us [1Cor.13:7], and perfect love casts out fear [1Jn.4:18]. Let's invest with vision & hope, trusting in such a generous & loving Heavenly Father.

Nick Grew

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