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88 Hunstanton Town & Around September 2017 Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net
Should Christians ask searching questions, or does it display a lack of faith?

Questions form an essential building block for all relationships in our is they struggle to facilitate this kind of open opportunity.
lives. That is one of the reasons I’ve been writing these articles about big
I’m sure you’ve been stuck in a conversation with someone that questions we have about life and Christianity, in the hope it would
doesn’t ask any questions about your life or thoughts, leaving you to respond to some of the difficult questions we may not get the
do all the asking. It’s a tiring and draining experience that isn’t a good opportunity to ask.
basis for an on-going friendship. Unfortunately even writing about them will in some way fall short
Of course there are times when we all need to receive from others of the personal answer that is often required. So as a result I am
and pour out our hearts with a family member or close friend, but for hosting (with others from Union Church) a series of informal group
a good and deep relationship we all need to ask questions of each other discussions at the Wash & Tope Pub in Hunstanton called, ‘Life’s Big
to show care, interest and love. Questions.’ In the hope it will give people the opportunity to gather
The same is true of a Christian’s relationship with God as Father, and discuss these questions as well as offering a Christian response to
Son and Holy Spirit. The depth of relationship (and understanding of them too.
each other) is determined by our desire to ask questions of God and to I want to assure you it’s not a debate or argument, nor a chance for
receive God’s questions in our lives. There are obviously questions me to bash anyone with Christianity(!), but it is an opportunity to
that are simple and create a general knowledge about each other such discuss your questions about life with reflections from the Christian
as, ‘What is God like?’ ‘Is He loving?’ ‘Is He with us?’. However, there faith. We’ll have a few themes to get us started over the initial weeks
are also deeper questions such as, ‘What do we really believe life is but will also be open and flexible so we can explore others questions
about?’, ‘Is death the end of our existence?’, ‘Why am I suffering?’, that are raised.
and the list goes on. We’ll be meeting weekly on Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm from
I find that when I am bold enough to explore both the smaller and 20th September in the second half of the bar area. Anyone and
greater questions about God, it leads me to a deeper relationship with everyone are welcome to attend.
Him as I come to understand who He is and what He has done for me. Thank you for reading,
I am personally led to a place of thanks, wonder, joy, peace, hope and Rev. Sam
love, not to mention that my faith increases rather than decreases. Phone: 01485 532471 Email: abramiansam@gmail.com
However, at times it can be hard to allow these questions to surface Twitter: @samabramian
due to negative past experiences when we’ve tried to share before or Church website: http://www.unionchurchhunstanton.org.uk
our current circumstances. One of the draw backs of church services
Blog: http://samabramian.tumblr.com
Rector’s letter

In many ways September is a new start, it is of course the new year To me as a priest, this was a familiar concept. I have been trained to
for schools and colleges. In my memory September meant new listen, to listen to the context in which I find myself, and the people
plimsolls with that distinct rubbery smell, and crisp white shirts. It around me, to listen to myself and what is going on in my inner life,
went with the crisp morning air as you stepped out ready to face the and to listen to God. And I particularly liked the metaphor of the
new challenges. prompt because listening to God is a lot like that. We don't get writing
For some families this month will be a completely new routine as in the sky or on the wall, we rarely get an actual voice, but if we train
children have moved to a new school. This may involve new timings, ourselves to 'listen' we will get prompts and we will be able to gauge
new transport, and new responsibilities. For some staff it will be a a sense of direction, sometimes much more specific leads, and we will
change of routine as yet more education cuts have meant re-arranging start to notice what is being suggested as important for our lives. Our
the schedules in school. For some there will be less work, and that can Stillness on the Shore group helps explore this listening.
mean a different sense of value, perhaps there will be time to be with I pray that in this new month, here where we have a bit of limbo
family more, or perhaps less, as work and income is topped up in a between the busyness of the summer visitors, and the activity of
different way. autumn and winter; that in this time you will have time to listen, to
For me I am hoping September will bring me administrative help. yourself, to others and to that invisible voice of God.
Running six churches with six PCC's, and being involved with two Bless you
school chaplaincies; four charities; around twenty five weddings, Susan
fifteen baptisms and thirty funerals a year; as well as Playchurch, our Rev. Susan Bowden-Pickstock, Rector of the Saxon Shore
Stillness on the Saxon Shore group; and Diocesan duties, means a lot
of paperwork. So the Saxon Shore benefice is looking for a part-time
paid Benefice Administrator to free me a little for visiting, for study
and for being out in the community.
And of course September in agriculture is a new start as harvest is
completed: the fruit is picked, the fields are ploughed, harrowed and
drilled again and our wonderful productive cycle of planting begins
again. Please join us as we celebrate harvest in the churches, it would
be lovely to see you.
I am looking forward to this new start in September, but I wonder
for you, in the changes, or in the sameness, what will be your
motivating voice as you step out of the door?
In the summer I came across the work of an artist who had created
a short film which really struck me. She is Julie Born Schwartz, and
her piece was called: 'The Invisible Voice.' It explored the role of the
theatre or opera 'prompt'. This person, as you will be aware, is the one
waiting to assist the actor or singer if they forget where they are in the
script. It is a real skill, as she explained, to be hidden and yet there
guiding and directing them should they need it.