A stormy sea
My most enjoyable memories of time spent on any body of water is when, as a child, we lived beside the Avon and had a canoe that we took out often and paddled about on a familiar stretch of river. My least enjoyable memory is any time that I went to sea, whether or not there was a storm, as I am not a good sailor.
And so, I have empathy for the disciples who not only panicked when they were caught in a storm at sea, but who also had trouble understanding how Jesus could sleep through the whole drama. If they, who had fishermen among their number, were frightened, then it was a dramatic storm indeed.
Waking Jesus was the right thing to do; not only did he calm those raging waves, but he also taught the disciples that they could face any storm if they trusted in him.
The Church is often described as a boat, and the world with its’ hostile forces as the sea on which we must set out in order to fish for souls for the Kingdom of God. Sometimes the boat is our own lives, and the sea which tosses us about are the things that happen in our lives which at times seem capable of overwhelming us.
In neither case can God guarantee a smooth journey and a safe arrival. Better than that, God assures us of the companionship of Jesus in the boat so that no waves will overwhelm us but, rather, we come through to calmer waters and with renewed faith.
From the Vicar
We live in a society that has in many ways abandoned its traditional patterns of mourning.
A time to relax and to reflect on the efforts made by trade unions to get this balance.
God gives us shelter from both rain and sun and picks us up when we stumble
Parish Officers
Parish Governance
The executive team of Vicar, churchwardens and treasurer meet constantly on parish business.
Parish Groups
Worship leaders, lay readers, servers, ushers, greeters, flower arrangers, cleaners, counters, intercessors and cup bearers all join together to support the service.
From the Vicar
We live in a society that has in many ways abandoned its traditional patterns of mourning.
A time to relax and to reflect on the efforts made by trade unions to get this balance.
God gives us shelter from both rain and sun and picks us up when we stumble
Community Fair bringing affordable toys, books, china, vintage clothes and more from the Opawa - St Martins Parish.
