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Dear Friends
As I begin this letter, in my usual way of
addressing you, I’m conscious of reading a report in last month’s
Daily Telegraph suggesting that the average Briton had only three
true friends they can really rely on! The survey found that, whilst
most people claimed that they had sixteen friends, they also
admitted that the majority were in their lives simply ‘out of
habit’. Long working hours and a hectic lifestyle were blamed for
failing to keep in touch with old friends, people simply drifted
apart.
All of which is a huge shame because
friends are a treasure. Not only do they bring us joy, but also
they are good for us. Researchers even claim that those who have a
strong and social network and good friends are better at fighting
disease and depression, live longer and have better memories!
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In
general, however, the role of friendship in our lives isn’t terribly
well appreciated. Even within our Christian understanding we speak a
lot about family relationships and marriage but neglect the impact that
friendship has on our psychological well being. Its lovely therefore to
have those readings coming up to Ascension where Jesus tells the
disciples that they are not to thinks of themselves as servants any
longer, but as friends. In the version of the Bible called ‘The
Message’ the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is also called ‘the friend’. And
going right back to Exodus the writer says that, ‘The Lord spoke to
Moses, face to face, as a man speaks to his friend’.
That
aspect of God’s relationship to us is worth exploring, it is deeply
encouraging. Our best friends listen, but seldom judge us; they help us
out in trouble; they are good enough to tell it to us straight and they
forgive.
Someone has suggested that it would be
wonderful if we could treat everyone we encountered as a friend, or at
least as a possible friend. And could there be a better Kingdom of God
than a world in which we were all friends to each other?
Finally, have a good and
refreshing holiday wherever you may find yourself this summer, at home
or abroad. If you are looking for a church when on holiday check
out the information on the Intercontinental Church Society by clicking
on their logo below.
With
best wishes
Ronnie
Nesbitt
Rector of Bangor Abbey |
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