Over Christmas and New year I have been thinking about the ways Jesus changes people and I’ve just read the story of Zacchaeus from Luke Ch19 v1-10. I think Zacchaeus had come along that day in order to see what kind of man Jesus was. Well, by the end of the day he had got a lot more than he bargained for or hoped for.

We hear the song of the angels In Luke`s Gospel Ch2 v 14; `Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours.`

Once again we are approaching Christmas and Peace is one of the things we always associate with the festive season. Luke Ch 1 v79 tells us that one of the reasons Jesus comes is `to guide our feet into the ways of peace.` These are among some of the loveliest words in the Gospel. Indeed, you could say they sum up the Gospel.

But peace is not merely the absence of war or dissension. It is something deeper and richer. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. Shalom conveys a sense of completeness, a state of perfect well-being.

At a recent pastoral committee meeting we remembered in our thoughts and prayers those who have suffered and died during the Coronavirus pandemic and have been, over the years, an important part of the Wesley Memorial Methodist Church family.

Dear Friends,

I’m writing to you following my visit to Wesley today. It is really good to be back with you following my sabbatical over the summer. Thank you for your good wishes and prayers which have helped me. It has been wonderful to spend more time with family and friends including visiting my extended family in Wales. It has been relaxing to just read, sit in the sunshine in the manse garden, go to the beach at South Shields and to visit St. Mary’s Cathedral in Newcastle for times of prayer.

In this story, the hare is so confident of winning that he even sleeps during the race and then, the tortoise, slowly and steadily, ends up winning. The point being made is that there is value and benefit in doing things in a slow, steady, and careful way.

As you will know Huw is on sabbatical which is a gift from the church to every minister. The sabbatical is taken every seven years. This is what is written on the Methodist Church website- `For Methodist presbyters and deacons, a sabbatical is a period of release from ordinary ministerial duties, in addition to normal holidays, for the purpose of pursuing an approved programme of study, research, work or experience. It is intended as a time for re-equipping, refreshment and renewal.’ Please continue to pray for Huw during this time.

People can change when they are given hope, when someone believes in them, and gives them a task to do. Above all they change when they are loved.

We are now in the season of Easter and I was heartened by this story I came across this year describing an Easter ceremony in Russia under communism when it was dangerous to be a believer…

There is a very beautiful saying of Christ which is one of the unwritten sayings which do not appear in the New Testament at all:

Raise the stone and you will find me;

Cleave the wood and I am there.

Challenged by the words of Pope Francis in his Lenten message this year …