January 2003
Renewing a Covenant
January 2003
Renewing a Covenant
| It always
takes me a while to become familiar with the new year date. By the
end of February I'm beginning to write it automatically. It
certainly takes a while to become accustomed to new things. At the beginning of January we're challenged to review the past and look forward in a positive frame of mind to the immediate future which promises new things some of which we'd rather not contemplate. On the international scene there are wars and rumours of wars. In Bahrain, following last year's democratic elections and the formation of a new Parliament and governmental process there's the promise of good things to come. We pray that this vision may be fulfilled. For the Jews of the Old Testament a new year was the signal for remaking the Covenant relationship with God. All agreements and commitments need to be reviewed and renewed from time to time, both our human covenants and commitments and our relationship with God. The year 2003 heralds the Golden Jubilee of the building os St. Christopher's Cathedral. This provides the golden opportunity for us to review and renew the covenant with God that was made half a century ago. Much has been achieved during that period by a whole procession of faithful people. We, the inheritors of that covenant, need to ensure that there's something equally worthy to celebrate and thank God for in 50 years' time. At the beginning of December 2002, a small group of St. Christopher's faithful met to brainstorm ideas for the coming year. That meeting proved to be far more productive than I'd imagined. It gave us a wealth of ideas providing the foundation for a full five-year programme. If we fulfil this vision we've a worthy covenant with God in response to His overwhelming blessing to us. One focus for the jubilee with far-reaching implications was the question: what makes St. Christopher's distinctive as the Cathedral of the Gulf? What role should it perform, what function operate and what service provide for the wider church in this part of the Gulf and the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf? One immediate answer was: to be the Mother Church, but just how, in today's world, do we function as "mother"? How do we avoid being patronising but, like a good mother, identify and meet the needs of those around us. March 13, 2003, is the day of our jubilee celebration. I see this not as an end but as the beginning of a year of reviewing and renewing which I pray will lead to a new commitment of our covenant with God for the years ahead with a vision for the next 50 years.
Alan Hayday |
