Field of Dreams

A fearful look from the window at home said it all, as I watched the torrential rain falling and the noise of the deafening wind whistling in my ears on a cold November night.  The Stadium of light beckoned for Dick and myself heading for the Centrepoint charity Sleepout.  From St. Andrew's church to Houghall College, Beamish Museum to the Aircraft Museum,and now this was to be the fifth sleepout I had been to.

It was good to meet up with those who worked with the charity. Not least to talk to the North East Regional Manager who I first met at St. Andrew's more than five years ago as we hosted the first ever such event in the north east. Compliments of thankfulness from that time which gave them a springboard to bigger and better events in the years to come. A sense of thankfulness of the appreciation of the hospitality the church showed them  on that occasion.

It was also a deep sense of thankfulness, as on arriving I realised we would be sleeping on the concourse of the stadium. At least shielded from the rain but not the cold and the wind. A night of fitful sleep not least a time to reflect on the impact Centrepoint has made since setting up its north east base in Sunderland. One of those God coincidence moments as their centre was set up in the parish in Dundas Street and a new centre opened across the town recently.

Gazing across the football pitch covered by lights and heaters to make the grass grow, and the field of dreams of hoped for victories in the future left one pondering on the dreams for the future being fulfilled in the many young people being helped by the charity. Practical help and training that sets them off on the right path in life for the many disadvantaged and sometimes homeless young people.

Dick and I survived the night and following a bacon butty and a cup of tea at 7 a.m. it was time to depart and back to normal life. Well you could see in the photo that Dick was wearing his survival suit! I say normal but in fact such an event impacts on our own life journey. But also a further opportunity for the church building its relationship with community. A night of discomfort but a small price to pay for the gospel values by which we live. The field of our Christian dreams united with these young people in building a society for the future.

May I take this opportunity to thank all in the parish who sponsored us in the vital work of the Centrepoint charity.

                                                                                                John Pattinson  

 

Visit the Centrepoint website

School's Out For Summer

The Curate writes...

 

Summertime, and the living is easy. Warm days, light nights, the kids are off school and the sound of their playing drifts through the streets – although, as the late Terry Pratchett once wrote,

“It was nice to hear the voices of little children at play, provided you took care to be far enough away not to hear what they were actually saying.”

Which raises an interesting question. How often do we listen to what kids are actually saying? I know from experience with my little tribe that most of the time it’s not hard to hear them – as amazing as my kids are, there are times when I feel we could stand them on Roker seafront and use them in place of the foghorns - but there’s a difference between hearing and listening.

The old adage of children being “seen and not heard” is no longer seen as the ideal way of relating to the younger generation. But actually a look through the Bible shows us this was probably never the best way of helping young bairns grow into the men & women they were created to be. Jesus Himself reminded us, his disciples, of the importance of letting children come to Him, and many other passages of scripture show God regards children as worthy of His calling, commissions, healing, blessing, life and salvation.

 

Jesus also reminded us that we can learn much from children.

 

"Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

 

When He said this He wasn’t encouraging naivety. Children aren’t held back by the cynicism that pervades our ‘grown-up’ world. Children ask the questions adults don’t dare, children throw themselves into things wholeheartedly and, in the right climate, find joy and excitement in the simplest of things. And it is worth remembering we are all God’s children. We are told to call God ‘Father,’ to come to Him with all our concerns and fears like a child to a trusted parent, to be challenged and inspired to grow into who He created us to be and ultimately rest in His love.

 

So this summer and beyond, hold on to the idea that the children you encounter are fellow pilgrims on the way to eternal life, with as much to teach as to learn. Pray for them, pray with them. After all, the only thing worse than the sound of children in church…is the sound of no children in church.

St. Peter's Medieval Weekend 2015

Here's a selection of pictures from St. Peter's Medieval Festival, held as part of the celebrations surrounding the launch of the new church grounds.

Click the links to read reports from the Sunderland Echo and Sunderland City Council, and find more pictures on our Facebook page.

Enjoy!