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This article from our InTouch was written and  distributed on Monday 27th January before the news of the Bishop of Liverpool was published.

 

Dear Friends

I’m still getting used to writing 2025 as we settle into the new year and exit January. Hopefully as it is getting notably lighter the awful weather of the last few weeks will start to abate, and we can enjoy the hope and optimism the New year brings.

I write this on the day we had Bishop John visit us, It was a lovely service of Holy Communion. I really enjoyed the messages in Bishop John’s talk. Firstly, of Unity, something which I believe is a strength at All Hallows, and I’ve always felt we are the body of Christ, when we pull together to get things done.

I loved the idea of supporting each other’s gifts and not stifling them with our own, again a strength at All Hallows and it’s my personal passion to see more people do this during the year and make a bigger difference.

Love was the third word that stood out to me, and the very next passage in Corinthians 13 contains this line of scripture, from 13 v4:  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth, it always protects, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

Remember when we were in lockdown, we heard the phrase be kind, and it seemed that during that time people did go out of their way to be kind, but this seemed to slip as things returned to normal.
Roll forward to the present and we see lots of examples around the world where Love is needed and peace not war. We can’t influence world affairs but if we all seek to do good, show acts of kindness whenever we can, we can make a difference, and small acts can mean so much to the receiver.

Paul Peacey