The Shape of Things
by the Revd Hannah Cartwright
Over the last few weeks, it feels that the world has been reshaped significantly once again. Just at the point we were beginning to think about what it meant to be gradually emerging from the depths of a pandemic, the war in Ukraine has made a global impact. It seemed almost incomprehensible that there could be a war on the European continent in quite such a way in the 21st century, yet somehow the occurrence of the apparently impossible is seeming less of a stretch each day. It can feel frightening for those of us who are simply watching it unfold, but the untold horror of the situation for those directly caught up in the conflict will have a profound legacy for generations to come.
Through all that humanity collectively has faced in recent years, whether close to home or further afield, one thing which has crystalised in every situation, is the importance of relationship. Of relationships of trust between neighbours (be they individuals or whole countries); relationships of accountability, relationships of honesty and listening in which understanding can grow between people and parties who may operate from very different ideologies; relationships in which resources and skills are shared which enable people to work together to build something bigger and more beautiful than any of us can achieve alone. The fruit of healthy, cooperative relationship is not only power but also peace.
Christian community has an important story to tell about the nature of relationships – particularly when it comes to the idea of covenant. Of unshakeable bonds, willingly entered into on mutually agreed terms, where we actively choose co-dependency. Where we sacrifice self-interest for the sake of the flourishing of all; recognising that we alone cannot truly flourish while our neighbours starve, or we trade with them on unfair terms, or we operate in isolation.
Recently, we held two evenings on zoom, exploring the question ‘what makes community?’, as an opportunity to hear from you about how we can all work together to shape our common life in the next chapter. From these evenings came not only lots of good ideas about how to strengthen our existing community here at St Mary’s (look out for the return of parish lunches, quiet days and other ways of gathering to build one another up in body, mind and soul!), but also a strong desire to share our learning and increase our listening to the communities outside our door – especially those who are our immediate neighbours in the parish and across the City. On our doorstep are myriad community groups, grass-roots projects, charities, churches, businesses and public institutions who could all benefit from the incredible gifts of friendship, faith and learning which our community can offer but who we can also learn-from, and work-with to ensure that everyone has a better chance to flourish as a more united and compassionate City going forwards. (There will be chance to meet together on 3rd April at 12pm in the Old Library to look at some of these next steps and how we can put them into action).
If you are feeling helpless in the face of such needless suffering in the world, we can all play a part in shaping the world for the better by starting with just one relationship. Whether that is welcoming a refugee family into your home or whether it is getting to know a neighbour or asking the staff of a business you frequent how they are really doing and what their needs are at the moment. The more we open ourselves to relationship with others, the more God can use those relationships as a foundation to answer our prayers for peace and reconciliation. Every day we have the chance to leave a legacy of love in the world: a love which is bigger even than our shared humanity; a love which will not let us go when times get tough; a love which made the ultimate sacrifice for our flourishing and a love which is so insuppressible that it has the power to re-shape the world.
